RWBY:Viper's Glare
by FallenSymphony963
Summary: Mercer Knight is a young man with a dark past that comes to Beacon to start over. Will he learn to be a person again, or will darkness overtake him and become a monster worse than any Grimm. Will contain heavy violence, language, and sexual content. Enjoy the ride you have gotten sucked onto! Main pairing will come in the future
1. Character Bio

**RWBY: Viper's Glare**

** Hello denizens of the internet, my name is FallenSymphony963 and welcome to my first fanfiction! Now if the title didn't give it away, this is a RWBY fanfic with a OC. I find RWBY to be fantastic and I really want this to be well-liked, but since its my first it will be rough. But I'll be damned if I don't give it my best. Fair warning, this fic will be very dark, mature, and depending on my mood, sexual. Those who are not good with blood, gore, and graphic situations; stop reading now. Also, I'm a big psychological nutcase, so a open mind and decent intelligence are recommended. And on a final note, I'm big on detail and these chapters will be long, so read at your own pace or you'll miss out.**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy and here is the character bio.**

**Character Bio:**

Name: Mercer Knight

Gender: Male

Species: Human

Age: 19

Height: 6, 1"

Weight: 197 lbs

Hair Color: Black

Eye Color: Jade Green with slit pupils, formally blue with round pupils.

Body Build: Lean, tall, and muscular

Appearance: Mercer gives off a intimidating feeling despite his lean body. He stands tall and walks with a almost noble grace in his steps. His shoulder length ink-black hair is well kept and is slicked back except for a single thick section that falls off the side of his face. Mercer is considered to be handsome by his female associates with his sharp face, trimmed goatee, and small scar by his left eye. Black tattoos of a tribal design snake around his arms connecting on his shoulder blades and going down his back and upper torso, emphasizing his muscular physique. A tribal barb-wire tattoo also runs around his neck.

Insignia: A jade green spear with two angelic wings on the sides of the spear.

Clothing: Pure black suit with his jade green insignia taking up his entire back, dress shirt of the same green color, black suit vest under suit jacket, black tie, and combat-augmented dress shoes.

Accessories: Silver watch on left arm, jeweled silver rings on both hands' index and ring fingers, and silver earrings.

Semblance: **Nightmare**\- Mercer is able to control a person's mind when the look into his eyes when Nightmare is activated. The victim will be torn from reality and placed under Mercer's control, where they experience psychological torture by altering the senses and pain receptors. While under the influence of Nightmare, victims have no physical damage, but they feel everything that Mercer puts them through. When used on humans and Faunus, it almost always leads to death or a permanent comatose state; Grimm are paralyzed when it is used on them. Direct eye contact is required. His eyes will overflow with his aura when he uses it.**(Basically its Itachi's Tsukoyomi from Naruto on steroids)**

Aura Properties and Color: Mercer's aura is black with a green glow to it. His aura is unimaginably strong, being as dense as the deepest ocean with the ability to suffocate people and force them to the ground. Weapons can sometimes break on contact and he has three times the amount of aura than anybody at Beacon. Mercer's tattoos and eyes will glow green when he is using his aura.

Weapon: **Empty Promise**\- a 7-foot jade-colored spear with black tribal markings. Its gun form is a Szecsei Double Bolt Rifle that can condense itself down to be carried on the hip and fires anti-tank rounds **(its a bad-ass gun, look it up)**. Mercer also has a .454 Casull Auto semi-automatic handgun with a 15 inch slide that fires armor piercing rounds for when he goes into more stealth oriented situations, the gun was a gift given to him during his earlier life **(Its the same as the Casull used by Alucard in the anime Hellsing)**.

Hobbies: Mercer spends most of his free time reading, similar to Blake. He is also a piano prodigy, but doesn't get to play often. Mercer cares for children at an orphanage in Vale, where he watches and plays with the children while also growing white roses in a garden behind the building.

Likes: Music, reading, growing roses, looking after children.

Dislikes: Racists, discriminatory people, hospitals, and his weaknesses.

Strengths: Enhanced physical abilities and senses, near-instant healing factor, high intelligence, and calm attitude in dangerous situations.

Weaknesses: Trust issues, cold towards others, merciless, suffers from depression, strong sense of self-hate, borderline insanity.

Personality: Mercer is a calm individual that mostly avoids the spotlight. His high intelligence makes him a top student and effective tactician and hunter. With his cold demeanor, Mercer is distance with others and somewhat hateful; when he befriends teams RWBY and JNPR, Mercer becomes more talkative, friendly, and jokes sometimes.

Bio: Mercer never really got to know his parents, both died in a bombing of a building by the White Fang at the age of four. He then lived in an orphanage until the age of six. He came across a Faunus child being threatened by human racists, Mercer unlocked Nightmare when fighting the racists and put them in a coma. During the incident, a pair of White Fang members witnessed the power that Mercer had. They deemed that he could be useful to their cause and abducted him. The White Fang took Mercer to a abandoned hospital that their group had refurbished. The White Fang believed that Mercer could be brainwashed by infusing a forbidden type of Dust, Corruption Dust, into his body. To prevent him from using his semblance, the White Fang surgically sealed Mercer's eyes shut. The Corruption Dust was melted down and injected into his bloodstream and tattooed on his body. Days of intense pain and agony combined with Mercer's screams filled the hospital until the bonding process was complete. When Mercer saw a chance, he took action. By sheer willpower, he forced his eyes opened, ripping the surgical wire in his eyelids, finding that his once blue eyes were now jade green and the pupils had narrowed into silts. In a blind rage, Mercer tore through his bindings and slaughtered his way out through the White Fang with his new Corruption-enhanced abilities and Nightmare, which now could kill its victims. After his escape, Mercer spent eight years running from the White Fang. During those eight years, hardened his skills and created Empty Promise, effectively becoming a perfect warrior. Mercer closed his heart to others after his escape, determined not to risk his safety. Even after his torture at the hands of the White Fang, Mercer held no grudge against Faunus for the actions of a single group. Once the White Fang relented in their manhunt for Mercer, he spent five years as a mercenary around the kingdoms of Remnant, earning the nickname "Viper" for his quick, silent, and brutal fighting style. Eventually he encountered Qrow, Ruby's uncle. Qrow was able to see Mercer's potential as well as the loneliness in the young man's eyes and wanted to help him. The old hunter eventually was able to convince Mercer to enlist at Beacon.

** Well that's all I got for ya. Now I'm sure most of you are thinking that Mercer is overpowered as hell. Well he IS overpowered. Most people would stop reading by now because they have to have some sort of perfect style for fanfiction. I have two things to say on that subject. One; I don't give a shit, this is my fic, which means this my idea, I write how I want. Two; I've written Mercer like this to go with the plot line for this fic, it wouldn't work any other way. Now that my rant is over, there is a romance in this, but I'll leave it up to you, the readers, to figure it out. I truly hope all who read this enjoy this, the prologue will be up within the next day or so.**

** Comments and reviews are welcome, flames will be ignored.**

** See ya my fanfic family, til next time.**


	2. Prologue

**RWBY: Viper's Glare**

** Hello again my fanfic family, FallenSymphony963 here with the next installment to Viper's Glare! Shout out to Wilhelm Wigworthy for being the first to read my story. If I could give you a cookie I would. Anyhow, no rest for the wicked, so here's the prologue. Enjoy!**

**RWBY is owned by Monty Oum and Roosterteeth, I only own Mercer.**

**Prologue: New Start**

A lone airship flew across the skies of Vale towards Beacon Academy, the famous institute that trains men and women to become hunters and huntresses for the defense against the creatures of Grimm. Usually airships such as this one carry a large number of students to Beacon when returning from trips, assignments, or other reasons. But this airship was different than most of the others that fly above the streets of Vale. Instead of a hull full of young hunters and huntresses-in-training, a single solitary individual stood near the back of the airship. A young man in a pitch black suit with a green shirt and hair darker than the deepest night, reading a book in utter silence.

Mercer Knight blocked out the world with the book in his hand. Standing at barely over six feet tall, he fits the suit well with his broad shoulders and long limbs. Despite being covered by his clothing, the stoic young man supports a muscular body, characterized by the complete lack of excess body fat. His ink black hair waves with the movement of the airship, minus the strand that falls in front of his right eye. The man's thin mouth curls into a scowl that seems to be a permanent fixture on his sharp face. Vibrant green eyes dart across the page, waiting for the airship to reach it's destination, and the next phase of his life.

The ship's intercom suddenly went off. "Hey kid, we're landing at Beacon now, get your things and prepare to disembark. And good luck to you," the pilot spoke. Mercer lets out a sigh and puts his book in his pocket and heads towards a nearby seat. He picks up a large suitcase and slings it over his shoulder, then he grabs a heavy four foot briefcase with his free hand and walks over to the hanger door. The airship comes to a stop and the large hanger door opens. Mercer steps off the airship and is greeted by the sight of Beacon Academy.

_"So this is my home for the next four years..." _Mercer thought as he scanned the institute, taking in the immense size of the school. _"Or at least until something happens," _he concludes. Mercer places his briefcase on the ground and runs his fingers through his glossy black hair. The former mercenary lets out a long sigh filled with annoyance.

"Why did I let that dusty old bird talk me into this?"

**Flashback**

"Well, would you consider the offer, boy?" Qrow, a veteran hunter and uncle to a certain pair of sisters, asked the young man sitting across from him. His old silver eyes stared intently at Mercer Knight, his recent traveling companion, waiting for an answer to the question. Qrow had come across Mercer a month ago when the White Fang had attempted to assassinate a prominent human businessman in Atlas. The old hunter had planned to intervene when Mercer appeared, apparently the young man was contracted as a bodyguard to the businessman at the time. To say that a seasoned fighter like Qrow was impressed with Mercer's skills was an understatement. He watched as Mercer eliminated the White Fang would-be assassins with grace, precision, and a complete lack of mercy. The level of skill the green eyed man had was only comparable to a master warrior. Qrow had heard that an Atlas businessman had contracted the infamous mercenary known as Viper, but he was surprised none the less when he learned that this cold-blooded killer was only a child. With the level of skill Mercer had, the old hunter decided to try and convince him to quit the merc life and enroll at Beacon.

Mercer didn't make it easy for him. The first time Qrow approached him, he took it as a threat and attacked. The old bird, while avoiding getting impaled by Mercer's weapon, talked him down and said he just wanted to speak with him. Mercer declined and walked away, but Qrow was persistent. He followed the mercenary for weeks until they both ended up on the same train to Vale. Mercer finally gave in and listened to Qrow's offer.

Mercer had taken the offer to heart as he mulled over it. The young man was heading to Vale anyway, so the destination wasn't a big deal. Also, the idea of being around people his age didn't sound so bad. His depression had been getting worse recently, being caused by the constant loneliness and he needed a way to remedy it. So Mercer came to a decision and turned to the silver eyed man.

"Very well, I accept," he answered with a cold tone.

Qrow immediately contacted Beacon's headmaster, a man named Ozpin, after Mercer gave his answer and had the now former mercenary enrolled. When the train arrived in Vale the two parted ways and Mercer made his way to the airship yard

**End of Flashback**

Mercer made his way to the courtyard outside the main door. A statue of two hunters and a Grimm sat in the middle of the yard. The young man's eyes locked on the beast and his face adopted a melancholy expression. He felt no pity for the creature or the living variations of its kind. The Grimm are a danger to people and deserve death. Mercer closed his eyes and gave a bittersweet smile. _"Such is the fate of all monsters... and I am no exception." _The sound of footsteps broke him out of his somber moment and he turned to meet the source of the noise.

Glynda Goodwitch walked towards the front courtyard hoping to find the new transfer student that Ozpin had asked her to find and bring to him. She found it odd that someone would transfer right after the school year had begun, but Ozpin had said that this student was a special case. The blonde teacher sighed at the thought of another Ruby Rose, but she decided to give this new arrival a chance. Goodwitch walked around the corner into the courtyard and noticed a young man with his back to her. _"He must be the new student,"_ she deduced and began to walk towards him. The stranger must have heard her approaching because he turned around. That action preceded to make the teacher tense up and blush heavily. Glynda Goodwitch had just seen something that she will never forget.

Mercer turned to meet the face of one of his new teachers and she soaked in every detail of the young man. He was as tall as her, if not slightly taller, and even with the elegant suit he wore, she was still able to to make out the defined muscles on his arms and legs. A strange black tattoo similar to a barbwire wrapped around his neck. His jet black mane that could blend in with the deepest shade of darkness held against his head and traveled down the back of his neck. The young man's face was sharp and free of imperfections, minus the small scar by his left eye, which served to make him more attractive than he already was. And many, many women believe Mercer to be the definition of handsome.

Then there was his eyes. Piercing jade green colored gemstones with slit pupils. Mercer's eyes could make anything cower in fear, except women, women just swoon with his gaze. For Goodwitch, she could only get lost in his beautiful eyes. But she also saw something in his eyes. The blonde could see and feel the emptiness in Mercer's eyes, how the screamed for an escape. Goodwitch wanted nothing more than to comfort the young man before her, to take away his pain and give him the light those eyes begged for.

As she got closer to Mercer, Goodwitch put back on her professional attitude and spoke with her normal posh voice.

"Good evening, my name is Glynda Goodwitch, a teacher here at Beacon and the headmaster's assistant."

"Mercer Knight, I am a new student here," he responded, not taking his eyes off of the woman in front of him.

Goodwitch could feel the heat rising in her cheeks again. Mercer's icy voice was as sharp as his eyes and very mature, almost causing her legs to give out from under her. Whether Goodwitch liked it or not, Mercer had an effect on her.

Getting her composure back, she spoke. "I-I see, Mr. Knight would you kindly follow me to the headmaster's office," the blonde somewhat stuttered as she walked towards the Academy.

Mercer only nodded and followed the women who would be one of his teachers towards the building. Strangely enough, he couldn't help but feel at ease. Maybe... this is what he needed all along.

Only the hands of fate know the answer to that question.

** And that's all for the prologue, I hope you all got a kick out of seeing Goodwitch act like a stereotypical horny teacher that wants nothing more to screw her students. I sure as hell had fun writing it, and don't worry, she will only act like that in situations involving Mercer. If I could give this fic a third genre, it would be comedy. Because trust me on this, you all will be laughing a whole lot. And to any female readers, I am hoping you like Mercer, I wanted to give you ladies another reason to read this other than the romance that will come later on.**

** Until next time, as usual; read, review, and comment.**

** FallenSymphony963 signing off.**


	3. Chapter 1

**RWBY: Viper's Glare**

** Hello readers, FallenSymphony963 here with the first true chapter of RWBY: Viper's Glare. I would like to start of by apologizing for the long wait, life has been busy and time has not been my friend. But no matter, I'm back and ready to give you what you people so well deserve. No need to waist time, lets get on with the show!**

** Just to clarify, this fic begins after the events of The Badge and The Burden part 2.**

** Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY, it belongs to Monty Oum and Roosterteeth.**

**Chapter 1: A Snake Among Hunters**

Ozpin sat in his office like he did every evening, coffee in hand, waiting for the day to end at his school. Only this evening he was engrossed in the file of Mercer Knight, his newest student. Beacon's headmaster was no stranger to seeing young individuals with troubled pasts, but Mercer stood out among the rest. With all that the young man had experienced, two aspects of the dark warrior were beyond abnormal, even by a hunter's standards. First was his semblance; his power could only be described as monstrous, an ability capable of destroying a person without making any physical contact. Truly it was a force to reckoned with. The second; the high body count that Mercer carried with him. Within a twelve year time frame, not a single combatant to engage the stoic fighter walked away alive. No survivors... that seemed to be Mercer's policy, whether by personal choice or his life experience. Ozpin's newest student brought a river of blood with him directly to Beacon, and the genius teacher could only hope that his other students would not join Mercer's list of the dead. The coffee-addicted instructor was concerned with this warrior... no, this demon, coming to his school, but Qrow's judgment hadn't been wrong yet. If his old companion believed in this child, then so should he.

"_So the Viper shall coil in these halls..._" Ozpin thought, mulling on the moniker given to Mercer by his unique fighting style.

A knock on his office's door broke his daydream.

"Enter"

The door opened to reveal Glynda Goodwitch and a tall young man he could only assume to be Mercer Knight.

"Professor, I have brought the transfer student liked you asked," Goodwitch stated once the door was closed.

"Thank you Glynda," Ozpin replied before turning to Mercer. "Mr. Knight, my name is Ozpin, I am the the headmaster of Beacon Academy, and this is my school," he continued.

Mercer only continued to stare at the gray haired man before him. "I'll be blunt," Ozpin began. "I know who you are Mr. Knight, and I know what you've done," he paused and adjusted his glasses. "If you try to bring harm to any of the students here... I will bring the full force of my power down upon you," the headmaster concluded, sending a glare to the killer before him.

The room was silent for a moment, Ozpin had flat out threatened Mercer and the jade-eyed man didn't move a muscle, a testament to the Viper's seemingly complete lack of fear. The headmaster of Beacon, one of the most powerful individuals in all of the four kingdoms was known for living up to his words. Of course, Mercer, the mercenary known as Viper, a man infamous for his efficient, calculating, and merciless combat style also ranked high on the list of people on Remnant that were as dangerous if not more than the creatures of Grimm. These two titans of danger stood unmoving before each other, silent and prepared for the worst, Mercer with his eyes closed and Ozpin with his coffee.

Mercer opened his eyes and narrowed his vision on the headmaster. "You had better be able to back those words with actions, **Professor Ozpin**," venom dripping with every word, especially his last few words.

Goodwitch was taken back with the murderous intent infused with words. The female teacher noticed that the young man's slit eyes had gotten smaller, like a reptile preparing to strike. She wondered what could have made Mercer so violent. This was different from the quiet young man she had met only moments ago. On the walk here, Mercer had listened intently to her explanation of school rules, not interrupting her or complaining once. Even though she'd known him very little, Goodwitch knew she liked Mercer, she doesn't know to what extent though. Was this the true face of Mercer Knight standing before her?

Ozpin only chuckled at his response, making Goodwitch nearly fall over from shock. "As honest as Qrow said you were," the headmaster responded. "I know it won't come to that Mercer," a smile graced the teacher's face. "I'm sure what you need, you'll find here at Beacon."

A few more seconds of silence continued until Mercer relaxed slightly and nodded in response. He was still on guard, he could sense that the threat was gone, but taking precautions never hurt.

Ozpin motioned for Mercer to sit down while he returned to his own chair. Mercer obliged and placed his belongings next to him on the ground. Beacon's headmaster cleared his throat before he spoke.

"Now, it's the standard system of the school for all students to be paired with a partner and placed one a team with another pair for the duration of the duration of their attendance at Beacon, but your timing could have been better," began Ozpin as he pulled out his scroll and began searching for a certain student's information. "You see, all the teams have been filled and making a team of five would go against the system, throwing the team's dynamics into chaos," the headmaster continued as he found that student's contact information and sent a message.

Mercer only blinked at the teacher's revelation. It didn't bother him to work alone, he'd been doing it for over a decade after all, another four years wouldn't be a problem.

Seeing that Mercer wouldn't comment on this, Ozpin continued. "But with your combat experience and efficiency... you really don't need to be put on a team. So, I have a better option to remedy this situation, Mr. Knight."

"Do tell," Mercer questioned.

"Simple, you will be a one man team that will be assigned to handle the most dangerous of assignments... but you will also be paired with a team to work with injunction on normal assignments. So on paper, you're a singular unit, while actually you are a advanced member of the team I'll assign you to work with," Ozpin concluded, taking a sip from his ever present coffee mug.

"So... I'm a glorified babysitter then?"

"Think of it more as a bodyguard," Ozpin countered.

A sigh escaped Mercer's lips, he knew that this was the only offer that Ozpin would put on the table. "_So be it then_," Mercer thought. The jade eyed warrior nodded in agreement.

Beacon's headmaster smiled at his acceptance. "Excellent, I've already called for the leader of the team you will work with to come meet us here. You'll be living in the room to the right of them."

Mercer nodded once again and yawned. He was tired, he'd spent the majority of the day on a train the on an airship, constantly moving. Even someone like him needed to sleep a moderate amount. The sound of the door opening snapped him out of his daze. Mercer turned his head to see who the leader of his new associates would be.

Ruby Rose was, with all honesty, confused on why Professor Ozpin had called her to his office. She really didn't want something bad to happen. Ruby had just reconciled with her teammate Weiss on her position as team leader of RWBY a few days earlier. The young huntress was grateful that the heiress was being friendlier, and she wanted that trend of good luck to continue. Ruby did tend to over think things sometimes, so she hoped that this would end well.

The scarlet-clad girl closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Then she slowly opened the door.

Ruby found Ozpin in his chair sitting across from somebody she'd never seen before and Goodwitch standing by the window. The young man had black hair down to his shoulders in a swept back fashion except for a strand on the right side of his face. Normally Ruby wasn't one for starring at people for long, but his eyes entrapped her gaze. Silver met shinning jade green when Mercer stood and faced her, which shocked Ruby. The man in black and green had to be nearly two feet taller than her, with broad shoulders and long limbs. He also had a ice cold glare that could make a Beowolf run in terror. Despite Mercer's towering physique and icy stare, he was giving off a calm feeling that countered his physical attributes. The scythe-wielder knew that Mercer meant her no harm... she hopes.

Ozpin broke the silence between his students. "Ms. Rose this is Mercer Knight, he will be attending Beacon as of today," gesturing to the man in the exquisite suit. "I would like you to lead him to his room, Mr. Knight has yet to learn the location of everything here at the Academy."

"Oh, of course Professor, where is his room," Ruby questioned, breaking her focus from Mercer.

The headmaster sipped his coffee before giving a response. "The room next to your team's, the one on the right." He turned to Mercer and threw him a key, which Mercer caught without looking. "You'll find a uniform and a school-issued scroll on the bed. And before you go, allow me to say... welcome to Beacon, I expect great things from you," Ozpin concluded.

Per his nature, Mercer gave a nod for a response before collecting his possessions and heading out the door, with one Ruby Rose in tow.

Beacon's headmaster returned to his chair after the two left and released a heavy sigh, relieved that the young man had been easy to reason with. If Ozpin had made a mistake, the meeting could have ended in a bloody conflict with many casualties.

Goodwitch noticed her employer's actions and sarcastically implied. "Another piece for your chess game Headmaster?"

"When it comes to that boy, this is in no way a game," Ozpin countered with a serious tone that shocked the blonde teacher. "Mercer Knight is a one man juggernaut with more power and skill than any individual I have ever seen in my life," he continued, handing Goodwitch a file with Mercer's name across the top. "I suggest you get to know Mr. Knight, or as he's better known as... Viper."

Goodwitch's eyes widened at this revelation. Viper... the codename for a world-renown mercenary that even the White Fang feared to cross paths with. Was Mercer really that person? The huntress stared at the file for a moment, then she opened the folder. Like opening one's eyes for the first time, Goodwitch was welcomed to the hidden secrets and awful truths about Mercer Knight.

**Hallway**

It only took Ruby a moment to get ahead of Mercer and head towards their respective rooms. The young girl was curious about this mysterious man called Mercer, so she decided to inquire about the dark hunter.

"So your name's Mercer, right," she innocently asked.

No response.

"Well... I'm Ruby, the leader of team RWBY."

Still nothing.

Ruby felt awkward with the one-sided conversation, but decided to continue. "You're not much of a talker, are you?"

That got a her a response. "I apologize, I'm... not used to carrying out conversations."

Mercer's tone caught Ruby's attention. "_He sounds... so sad_," she thought. "Oh, it's fine.. I think that silent types are cool."

Mercer couldn't feel any dishonesty in her words. He was truly surprised that this girl wasn't afraid of him. Most of the time people simply ignored him... unless they were trying to kill him or they were a woman attempting to seduce him.

Ruby smiled at him, she was quick to get along with people, but the red-caped girl felt a instant connection with Mercer. She figured that she could continue to ask him more questions.

Silver eyes locked on the mercenary-turned-hunter with the next question. "If you don't mind me asking, are you a Faunus?" Ruby hoped that she didn't offended him.

"No, why do you ask," was his response. Mercer didn't like where this was going, but he knew she meant no harm.

Ruby shifted her gaze before answering. "... your eyes are... different," she answered. RWBY's leader was starting to regret bringing up his eyes.

A wave of somber feelings washed over Mercer when he heard that word. The experienced warrior didn't like that word, it brought up painful memories, of what he was, how he got that way, and his years of utter loneliness. Those jade eyes that separate him from all others turned their focus to the floor, not wanting to look at Ruby. "Different..." he muttered.

The girl in red knew at that moment that her statement had hurt him. "I-I-I... I'm so sorry, I didn't mean..." She started to tear up and whimper. "F-Forgive me, please don't hate me!" At this point Ruby was crying quite a lot.

Mercer, for the first time in his life, was completely shocked at Ruby's sudden actions. Never in his life has he had to deal with a crying girl. This was a completely new experience, and Mercer had t act fast before it got worse.

He put down his bag and suitcase and placed his hand on Ruby's head. "Hey... its OK, I'm not mad," Mercer spoke with a soft voice unusual for him as began to pet her head.

Ruby looked up at him with her silver eyes still glistening from crying. "R-Really?" she asked, worried if he really meant it.

Mercer gave her a nod. Then Ruby surprised him even more... by hugging him. Her thin arms barely able to connect around his imposing form. Mercer's back tensed up at the sudden display of affection, not knowing how to handle it.

Ruby quickly realized what she was doing and let go of Mercer. "Sorry," she whispered, her face a similar shade of red as her cloak. Mercer only shrugged and picked up his belongings and motioned for them to continue. Ruby quickly dried her eyes and gave him a wide smile before proceeding down the hall, with Mercer right behind her.

The duo continued down the hallway until they reached the dorm block that housed team RWBY and the new living quarters for Mercer. As the headmaster had said, his room was right next to Ruby's and her team's. The two decided to stop in front of Mercer's room.

It didn't cross Ruby until just then, but nobody lived in this room. Did more people move in without her realizing it? She thought it would be smart to ask Mercer. "Is the rest of your team inside?"

"Only me," he responded.

"Only you... what about your team?"

The answer the man in black and green gave her would surprise her greatly. Mercer looked over his shoulder and let his vibrant green gemstones for eyes lock on her. "Team of one."

"_What_?" Ruby thought. The crimson girl had never heard of somebody working alone at Beacon. Students were put on teams to help further their training and teach the value of cooperation. Ruby tried to think of reasons why Mercer was he on his own. But another thought kept her from focusing on those theories.

Mercer would spend the next four years alone with no one to spend time with. No teammates, no companions... no friends.

That didn't sit well with Ruby. She thought of Mercer as her friend, even if she had just met him. Unknown to the vermillion huntress, who was lost in her thoughts, Mercer had opened the door and was halfway inside his new room before she spoke.

"Well, if that's the case... you can work with team RWBY then," Ruby declared with conviction and a thumbs up. Mercer raised an eyebrow at this proclamation.

"Why?"

Ruby tilted her head to the side and gave him a sweet smile. "Because you're my friend, of course."

….friend.

Mercer closed his eyes and focused on that one word. It felt... good to hear it, like it wiped away some of his loneliness. Not a large amount, but it was a start.

"What's wrong," Ruby asked.

The dark hunter opened his eyes and looked at her, letting Ruby fully take in the color and feelings of his eyes. A jade green that sparkled like stars complemented the calm and honest nature that his eyes spoke of. But those beautiful gems also carried a deep loneliness drowned with violence and mercilessness that showed with his next statement.

"I've never had a friend before..."

Despair

Melancholy

Emptiness

These were the emotions that hinged on Mercer's words. The snake-eyed warrior wasn't lying, and Ruby knew it. The scythe user hid her eyes behind her hair and stood there for a moment in silence.

RWBY's leader finally spoke. "Its pretty late... I think I'm gonna head back to my room. Goodnight Mercer," she said softly not looking at his face before disappearing in a cloud of rose petals.

Not fazed by Ruby's vanishing act, Mercer returned to the darkness of his room. Tomorrow, school life would begin.

** End of chapter one! Hope you all enjoyed the long chapter, bloody took forever to type. Its my hope at this point you guys are thinking about who's gonna end up with our bad-ass Mercer.**

** Will it be Glynda Goodwitch with her instant attraction to our stoic antihero? (Yes, I said antihero, let that give you an idea of what's to come)**

** Or will it be Ruby Rose and her emotional connection to Mercer?**

** Or maybe... someone else? (Insert dramatic music!)**

** Well I'm not telling. Why? Because I like to troll some and I want to make you all THINK! No matter, it will come in due time. I'll try to do better and upload faster than I did with this chapter. Hope you all loved it and look forward to the next chapter.**

** Read, review, and comment. Flames will be shot in the face with a high caliber sniper rifle.**

** FallenSymphony963 out.**


	4. Chapter 2

**RWBY: Viper's Glare**

** Hello my fanfiction brethren! I'm back with the next installation of Viper's Glare. I am truly sorry it takes me so long to upload these chapters, but finishing up my last year of high school takes it tool. I swear these damn final weeks feel longer and the work seems more abundant. But don't worry, FallenSymphony963 will not abandon my loyal readers or new additions to petty stress. In the short time I've been part of the fanfiction community, I've come to see you all as family and I never take family for granted. Enough of this sappy shit... you guys came for a intriguing story and I'm gonna give you guys it.**

** Just to give you people a heads up, there won't be any combat until chapter 4. Hardcore action fans will have to be patient, I like to build up to big things. Plus I'm detail nut that likes his work to fit into the places he's set.**

** Now... on with grand story I have planned for you.**

** Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mercer.**

**Chapter 2: First Night and Bedroom Gossip**

Mercer closed the door to his new dorm and flipped on the light switch. His room was a simple one, a single dresser with a lamp, decent sized closet, a desk with a chair, and one window. The only thing odd about the room was the bed. The logical thing would be a single or twin bed, since these rooms normally accommodated four people. His bed, for some unforeseen reason, was a queen and took up nearly a quarter of the room. The school surely had more than enough funding to get a more traditional and realistic bed for his accommodations.

"Strange..." he mumbled. Mercer wasn't bothered by this unusual situation, he just wondered why his bed would be that large. No matter, is wasn't a problem. The infamous merc unpacked his multiple suits and casual clothes into the closet, leisure clothes and undergarments found their place in the dresser. He actually pulled out a small stack of books and placed them at the foot of the bed. The now empty duffel bag was placed under the large bed. The large briefcase that Mercer carried found its place on the desk, ready to be use when called upon. Jade eyes lingered on the briefcase for a moment, memories of past conflicts flooded the Viper's mind. The weapon in that case had seen many battles, and tomorrow would continue that tradition.

After putting away all his belongs, Mercer began his preparations for bed. He removed his watch, rings, and took out his earrings and placed them on the dresser by the bed. Then he removed the clothes he was currently wearing and folded them up. Those clothes were then placed on the floor by the closet. Going over to the dresser again, Mercer pulled out a pair of loose sweatpants and put them on. He left his chiseled torso bare to the cold of the room. Walking over to the bed he examined the uniform left there by Ozpin and the scroll he would use to keep track of schoolwork, message other students and teachers, and receive notifications. Mercer placed the scroll by the case on the desk and the uniform on the chair for quick access the next day. Turning to the bed he climbed in and situated himself into a comfortable position, the merc drifted into a dreamless sleep.

**RWBY Dorm**

The remaining members of RWBY were preparing for bed when Ruby entered the room, still lost in her thoughts on her new green eyed man, mulling over what he had said. Never had she felt such a void come from somebody's words. From the way Mercer spoke, Ruby could conclude that he hadn't ever had anybody in his life nor had the dark man received much kindness from others. When her mother died, the hooded girl experienced the tendrils of darkness and despair take root in her soul, that time in her life allowed her to understand that sorrow Mercer gave off. But when all the light in her life seemed to fade away, a brilliant yellow sun saved her. Her sister Yang pulled her out of the abyss and brought her back to the world. Because of her Ruby learned to smile again, she owed her sister more than she could ever give. But... nobody came to save Mercer, the world watched as the jade and black warrior sank into the dark... and now he carries that darkness with him. Ruby was unsure what to do, she wanted nothing more than to help Mercer like Yang had helped her. She knew that freeing him from despair couldn't be done quickly or by herself. His mind was surely protected by barriers he put up himself and getting him out of his shell would be the first obstacle to overcome, after that is still a mystery.

_"Mercer is my friend, I will help him no matter the cost,"_ she promised herself.

The scythe-user's sister was the first to notice her return. The blonde bombshell leaped from her bed to great her younger sister.

"Welcome back sis, Ozpin make you do something stupid for him," questioned the brawler, hoping to learn something interesting. It had been a boring day and she needed something exciting to talk about. Unfortunately Ruby was still engrossed with her thoughts of a snake eyed man to answer her sister.

RWBY's resident ninja, Blake Belladonna, caught the cloaked girl's silence as a sign of discomfort. Putting down the book she was reading (a rare instant), the amber eyed woman focused on their young leader. "Is something wrong Ruby," she questioned softly.

Blake's voice got a reaction out of Ruby, who snapped out of her thought to find her sister standing in front of her with a concerned look, Blake sitting on her bed with a similar expression, even Weiss turned away from combing her snow white hair to cast her attention to her.

Ruby turned to bow wearing friend and gave her a fake smile. "I'm alright," she lied before turning back to Yang. "The Headmaster just needed me to show a transfer student to their room."

The words "transfer student" caught Weiss' attention interest. Last time she checked, all the teams had four members, so the likelihood of this person joining another team was unlikely. There's also the matter how this person got in, any normal person would not be able to transfer into Beacon that easily, so this individual must be highly skilled or lucky. The Schnee heiress pondered on who this mysterious transfer student could be. _"Whoever this person is, they are most likely very dangerous."_

Yang's curiosity started getting the better of her. So she decided that interrogating her little sister was the best course of action. "What's this transfer student like?"

"Well, he's..." was all Ruby got out before the blonde cut her off.

"It's a dude," Yang's mouth practically broke from the enormous grin plastered on her face.

"Yes..." the younger sister continued. "His name's Mercer, he's tall, at least two feet taller than me... pitch black hair that is slicked back except for a single section, a wire-like tattoo wraps around his neck, and he is the only member of his team, or unit if you want to get technical," she concluded, leaving out the details of Mercer's eyes, not wanting to think on their sorrow. "... oh yeah, and he's the silent type."

The three older members of RWBY took this explanation in their own way. Blake was curious about this Mercer, about both the vague physical description and the fact of him being the silent type. Weiss was extremely suspicious of the man due to that tattoo on his neck and Ruby's almost reluctant explanation. Yang keep trying to picture the Viper's face, to no avail.

The golden brawler turned to the cloaked girl. "So the Rubes... is this Mercer a hottie?" Her playful tone masked a more... sinister intent.

Ruby's face turned a blazing red and she looked at the floor, remembering how she had grabbed Mercer. The scarlet faced girl had completely forgotten how his chest and arms felt like solid stone. Despite the betraying look of the suit he wore, Ruby was able to tell that Mercer was ripped beyond imagination just by wrapping her arms around his imposing form.

Yang got the answer she wanted based on how Ruby reacted. Even though she's young, Ruby is still a girl, and a girl only reacts like that for one of two reasons. The first being she got caught for something incredibly embarrassing. The second being...

_"This Mercer must be an absolute stud,"_ Yang concluded, putting on a perverted face. She wanted nothing more than to meet this man and... get to know him.

Weiss, visibly annoyed, decided to put in her two cents into the conversation. "I swear you're like a dog in heat Yang," that statement clearly irritated the blonde, but the ice queen continued her rant. "This Mercer is obviously some kind of delinquent since he has no team, or nobody wanted to be on a team with whatever sort of freak that he is," she concluded with her normal hateful tone.

Blake was livid at Weiss' declaration. The heiress had no right to judge somebody who they haven't even met. The black haired woman prepared to combat the Schnee's statement when Ruby screamed at her in retaliation.

"YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO JUDGE MERCER! YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HIM! MERCER DOES NOT DESERVE TO BE TREATED LIKE GARBAGE!"

Good thing that all the dorms are sound-proof, otherwise the whole hallway would have heard Ruby yell at her teammate.

The three older girls turned to find a furious and weeping girl in red. The built up sorrow in her from seeing Mercer's pain had finally broken through and poured out. Ruby's were wide and bloodshot, her face drenched in hot tears. Their team leader's small body quivered in a mixture of anger, sorrow, and regret. Little Ruby looked like she could break down at any moment from her sadness.

Yang was the first to break out of shock and head to her sister. Weiss and Blake stayed in their respective places, each unsure of what could have caused their leader to be so angry. Ruby never gets angry, its completely new to the two of them.

Luckily for the pair of confused girls, Yang would attempt to find out why Ruby was so upset. The blonde put her hand on her sister's shoulder and spoke with a soft, caring voice. "Ruby..."

"When Mercer told me that he was a one man team..." the crying girl cut off her sister, looking off to the side while hiding her face the best she could. "I told him he could work with team RWBY... he asked why I would do that and I told Mercer I considered him to be my friend. Then he said..."

The other huntress kept quiet as Ruby turned back to them. The crimson leader's face had a look of sorrow and acceptance. From that look... they could tell what Mercer had said to her effected her greatly.

"... I've never had a friend before."

Blake and Weiss were confused with Ruby's proclamation. They understood what she had said, just not the underlying meaning. Only Yang knew exactly what her sister relayed to them. The blonde bombshell quickly wrapped her arms around the smaller girl, who was still crying. Ruby stayed in the warm embrace of her sister's arms until she started to fall asleep. But before she departed to the world of dreams, the cloaked girl whispered something that only Yang heard. A sad smile followed that final statement as Yang lifted the small frame of the sleeping scythe wielding girl and placed her into her bed. The well endowed brawler stared at her sleeping sister for a moment before turning to confront her white haired associate, her normally lilac eyes now a angry bright red.

"What the hell Weiss," Yang half-yelled, half-whispered at the heiress, ready to chew her out for her earlier outburst.

"What, I was just stating the facts," recoiled the Schnee girl, attempting to defend herself. But she didn't get the chance since Blake joined in on the verbal dispute.

"The three of us haven't met Mercer yet and you're insulting him in front of Ruby, who obviously cares for him as a friend," Blake hissed. "It's obvious that you are incapable of even trying to get to know somebody, you just ride them off as beneath you without trying to understand their situation."

"The nerve-" Weiss tried to speak, but Yang cut of that chance.

"You have no idea how much you hurt Ruby with those words," venom oozed from the blonde's statement. She was beyond pissed. "Ruby was once the same as he was. When our mom died, I nearly lost her to the despair. She stopped trying to make friends, barely talked, and honestly I feared the worst. Ruby thought she had nobody left for her in the world, it took everything I had to get her out of that and back to the Ruby we know."

The other two stayed silent, unsure if there was a right way to respond, so Yang continued.

"Before she fell asleep, Ruby told me that her and Mercer were the exact same," the blonde looked like she herself was on the verge crying. "Only, unlike her... nobody was there to save him."

This revelation hit the three awake girls hard. Blake knew loneliness, but not absolute solitude, she also felt a growing bond between herself, Ruby, and this Mercer, who she hadn't even met yet. Yang was taking it a bit better, the blonde was happy that her sister had found a kindred spirit in Mercer, she only hoped that nothing bad would come from all of this. Weiss took it the hardest. Not only had she upset her entire team, she realized that they were right about how she had insulted that man. It left a bitter taste in her mouth, the feeling was awful. Ruby had no reason to make up something like that, and if this Mercer was worse... the heiress doesn't want to imagine how he feels, that would crush any light she had.

A long silence continued between the girls until Weiss spoke up.

"I'm... going to bed, I'll apologize to Ruby tomorrow and... give Mercer a chance." The heiress silently climbed into her bed below Ruby, she wanted this day to be over with already. Blake had a similar idea and followed the white haired girl's example. Yang took one last look at Ruby before crawling into her own bed. One thought ran through their minds as they drifted into sleep.

Who was Mercer, and how would him being at Beacon effect them all.

** And we're done. So... that was fun. Maybe... no? OK lets wrap this up. As to be expected, Weiss is a total bitch, will she get better? Who knows, not anytime soon that's for sure. I honestly like the Schnee heiress, most people think I'm insane for that, but I think we just haven't got to know her enough yet. By the way, I have no idea if Ruby and Yang are blood related, so I'm just going to assume that they are.**

** And no, my personal preference in characters doesn't mean that Weiss will end up with Mercer. Doesn't mean she want be in the running though. In truth... I won't be deciding who wins our green eyed boy's heart.**

** You... the readers will.**

**Let that sink in...**

** Good, now you know. But don't get your hopes up just yet. That's still a ways to go.**

** Hell, I haven't introduced half of them or made them realize how they feel about Mercer. So just tuck that little piece of information in the back of your minds for now. It will come, in due time.**

** So goodbye for now and don't forget to review and comment. Flamers will be forced to give Yang a haircut (You'll die for the record).**

** See ya **


	5. Chapter 3

**RWBY: Viper's Glare**

** Hello loyal readers! Good... whatever time of day you happen to be reading this. FallenSymphony963 is back with a new chapter! Not gonna say much more than this, other than I really enjoyed writing it and you all are going to laugh your asses off.**

** SO ON WITH THE SHOW!**

** Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mercer.**

**Chapter 3: Physical Appearances and Pancakes**

Mercer awoke to the sound of the alarm he set going off. The green eyed man rose from bed and went over to clock on the dresser and turned it off. The time was 5:30 in the morning, Mercer had always been an early riser, years of living in constant danger combined with his overall enhanced senses made him a light sleeper. With him also being a bit of a neat-freak, Mercer turned back to his bed and made it quickly despite its size, then followed that action with a once-over of the entire room. Seeing that the room was near spotless, the dark warrior grabbed a pair of boxers and the uniform pants before heading towards the male bathrooms to start getting ready for his first day as a student at Beacon.

As Mercer walked into the oversized washroom for the men of Beacon, he couldn't help but be impressed slightly. The whole room was porcelain white and incredibly clean. Each toilet, stall, and shower were well cared for. The former mercenary walked towards the showers and placed his clean clothes in a rack by the shower door before stripping down and entering the inclosed space. As he turned the knob for water to jet out of the shower head, Mercer felt tranquility. Hot water was always a great thing to have, the dark hunter found the serenity of his shower to be relaxing, allowing him to think clearly. _"Ozpin seems to be up to something, but I don't believe it will cause me a great deal of trouble,"_ he thought. To Mercer, his new headmaster was far more intelligent than he let on, there was plenty of evidence of that fact with the conversation they had the day before. The jade eyed man's thoughts turned to a silver eyed girl in a red cloak. _"She had silver eyes..."_ the merc pondered. _"What are you planning Qrow?"_ The last thing that the crimson girl said to him shoved itself into his mind. Turning off the water, Mercer looked down at his tattooed arm, mulling over Ruby's words. Inside the thick mist created from the scolding hot water, the Viper's tattoos began to glow the same green as his gem like eyes, showing that the dark snake was hidden there.

"Friends..."

**RWBY Dorm- 7:45 am.**

Ruby stirred from her sleep, light from the sun outside hit her eyes, causing her to let out a groan. The young girl jumped down off the bunk-bed, let out a small yawn, then proceeded to rub her eyes. Her eyes still stung from when she was crying the night before. She felt bad for yelling at Weiss and figured that she should apologize when she woke up. But Ruby looked around and noticed that the only person inside the room was her.

The scythe-wielder raised an eyebrow at this odd situation. "Where is everybody," she asked the empty room, not expecting any answer. A folded piece of paper on the desk by the window caught the huntress-in-training's attention. She walked over and picked up the paper before reading it.

**Ruby,**

**Weiss, Blake, and I thought you might want to sleep in some. We went on ahead to get breakfast, you might want to hurry, it's pancakes and you know how much Nora loves them**

**Yang**

**P.S. If you can, bring Mercer with you, we would like to meet your new friend.**

The letter's recipient was glad to see the letter. It seemed that her teammates and friends wanted to get to know meet Mercer. That meant he could make new friends, which could help eliminate that sorrow he carried with him. The argument from the night before only strengthened Ruby's resolve to get closer to the snaked eyed warrior and save him from his darkness. With a new found drive, the young leader wasted no time in cleaning herself and getting dressed before dashing out the door to collect her new friend.

If only the girl garbed red knew what it would take to pull Mercer away from the death and destruction that he'd known most of of his life.

**Hallway**

Ruby didn't take much time to get to Mercer's dorm, since it was right next door. She stood at the door for a moment before knocking. Mercer must have been preparing to leave himself because his door opened the second her hand pulled away. Ruby was greeted by the imposing, yet tranquil, form of Beacon's newest student, Mercer Knight. She quickly took in his appearance in the school uniform. The black pants and jacket fit him well (since his normal attire is a black suit), although the gold trimming didn't match the silver jewelry he wore. And the blue tie and white shirt did not match his unique style. Ruby, along with most people, agreed that when it came it to Mercer, the darker the better for clothes.

RWBY's leader looked up at his sharp face, the usual cold and collective look was there, but this time his eyes had a small amount of warmth to them this time. A large smile widened on Ruby's face as she greeted him.

"Good morning Mercer."

He responded with a small nod to Ruby before walking out of his room an looking the door. Mercer then pulled out his scroll and began to go through various information pages he had pulled up. Meanwhile, the small girl by his side watched him intently. By the way he acted and used his scroll, she could tell that he was a diligent worker and preferred to listen rather than speak. Ruby just learned more about Mercer every minute. _"Weiss might act better when she sees him in a classroom,"_ the young girl in red deduced. At that moment she remembered why she went to see him in the first place.

Ruby broke the silence between her and the occupied man. "They're... um, serving breakfast in the dinning hall. Would you... like to come with me... you'll get to meet my team and our friends."

Mercer only stopped adopted a blank face. He couldn't understand what compelled Ruby to be so kind to him. The dark hunter wondered why the thought caused so much confusion. Mercer would be lying if he said he wasn't hungry, so taking up the cloaked girl's offer seemed like the appropriate course of action. Jade eyes looked down at a nervous Ruby and he closed his scroll to give her his full attention.

"That's fine, I'll come with you," he spoke, sending the signal for the young girl to smile immensely.

Ruby quickly latched onto Mercer's arm and proceeded to drag him down the hallway towards the waiting food. All the while the crimson clothed huntress was beaming and the slit eyed man remained stone faced the entire time.

**Beacon Dining Hall**

Long tables filled the massive room that was the dining hall for Beacon Academy, each filled with future hunters and huntresses. The majority of the student body had already gotten their food and were eating while some were walking around. Beacon's teachers had a similar setup, except they all occupied one corner of the giant room. At one of these tables was the three older members of RWBY and their friends form team JNPR: Jaune Arc, Pyrrha Nikos, Nora Valkyrie, and Lie Ren.

"... and then we all decided to get some sleep," concluded Yang, who had just finished telling JNPR about the fight in the RWBY dorm and Weiss' hateful comments about Mercer. Each of the listeners took this information in their own way, but Jaune mustered up the courage to voice his opinion.

"I think you're being too harsh Weiss, you haven't even met the guy yet," the Arc boy timidly spoke to the Schnee heiress, who responded with a venomous look.

Seeing that, Pyrrha came to her leader's defense. "Jaune has a point Weiss, there is most likely another reason for this Mercer to be on his own."

"Oh, and what would that be?" Weiss spat back in retaliation.

"Simple, there are two theories- one: he was transferred here because the school he was originally at was overcrowded."

"Unlikely, what's the other reason?"

"This Mercer has had combat training, but not against Grimm, like a former police trainee, and therefore doesn't require a team to work with."

The heiress only rolled her eyes and looked down at her breakfast. Pyrrha's explanations were highly possible, but she didn't want her to have the last say in it. Weiss looked back up, ready to continue the argument, only to find a strange sight. Pyrrha was wide eyed with her mouth slightly agape, staring at something behind her. Her teammates were in a similar state. Ren was wide eyed too, but was more composed than the spartan, Nora was... curious, and Jaune was completely slack-jawed. The ice queen turned to her side to see Blake in a similar state as Pyrrha and Yang like Jaune, only with a maddening blush spread across her face. The Schnee girl's curiosity finally got the better of her and she turned around, only to go into a similar state of shock as her companions. What she, and everyone else in the dining hall saw was Ruby Rose walking towards them with a tall imposing figure by her side which could only be the Mercer that the hooded girl defended so passionately.

Silence.

That was what Ruby and Mercer were greeted with when they walked into the dining hall. Moments ago Ruby was chatting away while Mercer listened intently. The young girl had gone on to tell the jade eyed man about her time at Signal, encountering the criminal Roman Torchwick, her getting moved ahead two years to Beacon, and how she and her team killed a full grown Nevermore. All the while she spoke, Mercer simply walked and listened to the exploits of the young girl next to him. Having been a mercenary for many years, Mercer was impressed with the level of skill and talent that Ruby showed, even he knew killing a Nevermore was supposed to far from easy, and her fighting style seemed very interesting. Ruby had planned to asked more about him, but the events from the previous meeting reminded her that he wouldn't likely speak on it. So in the end Ruby thought it would be best to let Mercer open up on his own.

The duo carried on like that until they entered the dining hall. The deathly silence that they were met with snapped them back to reality where there they received stares from every person in the room. Looking around the two noticed a few things. One: all the men, excluding the teachers, were giving Mercer a fearful gaze, like he could take them all on by himself **(which he could)**. Two: the women were also staring at Mercer as well, but they were drooling and lustful thoughts about the snaked eyed warrior filled their heads, which was making his senses flare up and tell him to run like hell. Of course, the recipient of those looks ignored them and continue walking.

The members of RWBY and JNPR had their own personal opinions on the man with Ruby, but there was one thing they all agreed on.

Judging by his stature, they way he carried himself, and that intense icy glare, they could summarize that this man was in no way a novice. He was a battle-hardened warrior with years of experience. The more combat oriented background members, Blake and Pyrrha, could see something in his eyes, something that they were very much fearful of.

Mercer was a killer.

Since they know nothing about him, they couldn't judge his reason for taking life. The two decided to keep quiet and give Mercer a chance to explain himself when the time came.

As the two approached the table, Jaune started to sweat bullets and tense up. _"Oh boy... he looks like he snap me in half with his little finger," _the blonde thought. He then noticed all the women and how they looked at Mercer, causing his confidence to leave him. _"And all the girls are basically eye-raping him... lucky guy."_

Pyrrha pulled out from her shocked and fearful expression and settled into a soft smile. The red haired spartan examined Mercer more. _"He seems nice... and strong. I wonder if he would spar with me..."_ she quickly shook her head against that idea. _"No, not a good idea, Jaune might get the wrong idea."_ Pyrrha stole a glance at her now depressed team leader and blushed slightly.

… who knows whats going on inside Nora's head right now.

Ren was focused on analyzing Mercer. Especially his aura, the physical manifestation of a person's soul. Even though he wasn't using it, the calm fighter could make out enough of Mercer's aura to sum up the former mercenary. _"Dark, heavy, and cold."_

As Ruby and Mercer got closer to the table, Blake gave Ruby's new friend a quizzical look. _"So this is Mercer, he seems... sad. He sort of feels like he would be in Ninjas of Lo-"_ the amber eyed woman cut her thoughts off when she started to compare Mercer to her "special" book. Blake started to feel embarrassed at the way she was thinking.

Arrogance and suspicion flooded Weiss' head as her shock wore off. All the things that Blake and Yang had scolded her on flew out of her head as she put on her famous scowl. _"This man... if you can call him that, looks like a criminal."_ The heiress narrowed her focus on Mercer's slit jade eyes. _"Especially those eyes... hmph, just another Faunus it seems. I'll have to keep an eye on him."_ With that Weiss had already decided not to trust Mercer, but enough time can change anyone's mind.

Yang's opinion of her sister's acquaintance was the most... colorful of the group. The busty blonde's hormones were working in overdrive when she looked at Mercer. Her whole body burned with a blazing heat hotter than her semblance. To the surprise of all those around her, the brawler actually voiced her thoughts out loud. "God god look at that fine ass man..." she started, making those around her perk up and listen. "... he needs to be put on a pedestal... after I've had my way with him," Yang continued, sending Jaune, Pyrrha, Blake, and even Weiss into a blush. Then the blonde added the icing on the cake. "I don't even care if he's a hair puller... I WANT that gorgeous piece of hunk," concluded the bodacious woman with a sultry animalistic growl.

The flustered members of RWBY and JNPR got the chance to calm down since Ruby and Mercer had to collect their food. Within a few moments, the girl in the red cloak and the warrior with jade jeweled eyes were standing before them with each carrying a plateful of pancakes and a cup of coffee. Ruby stood beside Mercer and faced her friends, it was time to introduce him to the others.

"Guys, this is my new friend Mercer Knight, he just transferred to Beacon yesterday," she declared with a small amount of worry. The group at the table sat in silence, unable to grasp how Ruby was able to befriend such a clearly powerful individual. Three minutes past before Nora suddenly appeared in front of Mercer. Normally sudden actions like that would've caused the former mercenary to kill the orange haired girl on the spot in the pretense of defense, but the lack of hostility simply made Mercer stiffen his back. The hammer swinging sloth lover seemed to stare right through him before extending her hand in front of his face.

"Boop."

Nora said as she poked his nose with her finger, which in turn made Mercer adopt a confused look and cause everyone else to let out a sigh. Ren spoke up to explain his partner's actions.

"Don't mind her, that's Nora's way of saying hello."

Mercer responded with a slow nod and he and Ruby sat down to eat their breakfast.

**So that really fun. I've pictured Yang to be a mega flirt, so we'll get some comedy from her. Let me again say I am sorry for how long it takes me to upload these chapters. Thankfully I've only got one week of high school left, then I can write like a madman. So until next time, I hope you all enjoyed this installment of Viper's Glare.**

** Be sure to review and comment. I have already gotten a flame so if you have nothing positive or constructive to say... shut the hell up, I got my way of doing this and I'm not changing how I do this. **

** See ya**


	6. Chapter 4

**RWBY: Viper's Glare**

** Hello readers, I'm finally back with the next chapter of Viper's Glare. I am so, so, so sorry that I have not updated this story for so long. I finished high school and immediately was set upon by writers block for nearly a month. And now that I'm about to start my first year of college, I haven't had time to write with all the planning I had to do. Don't worry, there's no way I'm abandoning this fic, I want you all to enjoy this story as much I do. So lets get to it, you all have waited long enough.**

** Disclaimer: RWBY is own by Roosterteeth and that brilliant bastard Monty Oum.**

**Chapter 4: Introductions **

The dining hall had somewhat returned to normal when Ruby and Mercer sat down with RWBY and JNPR. The occasional glance over and giggles from girls let the table know that their new tall, dark, and quiet companion was a popular subject for gossip. Ruby sat down beside her team by her sister and her former mercenary friend found his place beside the small girl. Since Mercer only knew the crimson caped girl, he felt more comfortable by her.

Of course, a certain blonde bombshell didn't allow him to sit in peace. Yang quickly moved from beside her sister to the other side of her new object of affection, invading his personal space in the process. The snake eyed man stiffened up like he did with Nora, but didn't show it. Keeping his calm persona, Mercer began to eat his pancakes quietly despite the golden brawler looking like she would pounce on him at any moment. The others sitting at the table sat and observed how the dark warrior simply ignored the fact that Yang's voluptuous body was inches away from pressing against him. Eventually the awkward silence became unbearable and Pyrrha worked up the courage to start a conversation.

The redhead turned to Mercer and gave him a small smile. "It's nice to meet you, we were all very interested to meet Ruby's new friend, and I think everyone agrees with me that you're not what we expected." The others at the table nodded in agreement.

Mercer stopped eating and looked at the spartan. Emerald green locked with jade green as the new hunter gave Pyrrha a curious look. "How so," Mercer's chilled voice spoke with a smooth rumble in his throat.

If the members of RWBY and JNPR thought the former merc's appearance was surprising, his tone of voice sent them into a spiral. Mercer had a deep mature voice laced with a frigid tone that radiated brutal honesty and regal confidence. His voice was so sharp that it could've sliced through stone. Jaune and even Ren felt themselves sliding back in their chairs, their survival instincts telling them to avoid the black haired man. The girls on the other hand, other than Nora, gained a slight shade of red on their faces. The Viper's voice tended to cause women to melt and become putty in his hands if he put enough emphasis into his words. While he doesn't show any signs of being a romantic, the warrior is very adept at using his speech to extract information from women.

Despite her growing affections for a certain blonde team leader, Pyrrha was helpless against Mercer's first words to them. But it was more from surprise than a residual notion of liking the man with slit eyes.

"Well... you're a bit taller than I expected," the redhead stated.

"And a whole lot sexier than I could've ever imagined," Yang cut in, giving a seductive grin and lust filled eyes.

"YANG!" Ruby squealed, surprised by her sister's bold actions. The scythe wielder figured her older sibling would hit on her friend eventually, though she wished she wouldn't.

Said older sister looked beyond Mercer to her little leader with and innocent face. "Aw come on sis..." Yang chirped before focusing back on the dark warrior. "Have you looked at him, he's capable of being a underwear model." Her comment caused the subject of the conversation to stop drinking his coffee and give her an emotionless look.

Mercer pushed a few strands of hair behind his ear before speaking. "I'm... not, Miss..."

"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself," Yang said clapping her hands together. The golden blonde readjusted herself to where she was sitting on her knees in the chair with her arms held tight to her body, emphasizing her very large... assets.

"I'm Yang Xiao Long, Ruby's older sister," she declared with a sultry smile.

"... pleasure, Miss Xiao Long," Mercer responded with a slight bow of his head.

Pyrrha interjected before and could try to flirt. "Yang, how about the rest of us introduce ourselves before you bombard him with questions... oh, I'm sorry, my name is Pyrrha Nikos."

"Jaune Arc," Jaune said with a nod.

"Nora!"

"Lie Ren, call me Ren."

"And we're team JNPR," Jaune spoke up, motioning to his team. Mercer simply nodded in recognition. The mercenary-turned-hunter went back to eating his breakfast while the others watched. They agreed with Ruby that he did not talk much. Ruby looked over at Blake who gave the scarlet girl a smile. The girl in red figured that her book loving teammate would most likely befriend Mercer first since they seemed to be similar.

Her gaze turned to her white haired partner, who had not taken her eyes off the new addition to the table. Weiss' usual cold look seemed more hateful than what she usually had. _"Getting Weiss to trust Mercer will be the hardest thing, but I won't give in so easily,"_ Ruby declared in her mind. In truth, she found that the heiress and Viper had something in common. A hard shell designed to keep people away. Weiss and Mercer would open up... it would just take a push.

Blake let out a small cough to get the attention of everyone around her. "I believe two of us have yet introduce ourselves to our new companion," she said in a calm tone. The others realized she had a pint and the table went quiet. The young black haired woman looked grateful, then she turned to Mercer and adopted a slight blush. Unlike before when he walked in with Ruby, the dark man's face was a little softer, like he trusted her already.

_"It's like he can see all my secrets with those eyes of his,"_ the amber eyed huntress mused, feeling helpless against his gaze.

Mercer blinked, waiting for her to speak. He already knew who Blake was, Ruby had given him a rundown on her teammates on the walk to the dining hall. The girl he was currently looking at was Blake Belladonna, a quiet individual who had a love of books much like him. Mercer figured that Blake might be worth getting to know. The merc noticed something about the young woman, it only happened for a split second, but he swore that her bow twitched.

Blake snapped out of her stupor and extended her hand to the jade eyed man. "It's nice to meet you Mercer, I'm Blake Belladonna. If you don't mind me saying, I agree with Pyrrha, you're much different than what I expected."

The softer look on Mercer's face did not fade as he extended his hand out to grasp hers. The action allowed the others to observe him more. Mercer had a slim hand with long fingers attached to a tight muscular arm that, much to Yang's drooling delight, could be made out through his uniform's jacket. The second his hand met Blake's she jumped slightly. The merc's hand was callous from years of handling a weapon and his touch was cold, like a absence of body heat existed. She noticed that his grip was relaxed, leading to the conclusion that was at least tolerable of physical contact.

"Curious," the jade eyed hunter deadpanned, letting go of Blake's hand.

"About," was the book lover's response.

Mercer adjusted himself to were his arm was propped up on the table and his head was resting in his hand. "What about me... is interesting?"

The young hunters-and-huntresses-in-training realized that the new addition to their group had put them on the spot. None of them knew Mercer enough to anticipate how he would react. Normally they would have made something up to prevent insulting him, but that cold emotionless stare he had told them otherwise. Even if RWBY or JNPR had just met Mercer, it was obvious that he was an expert at reading people for lies.

Blake started twirling her index finger together, deciding she would answer his question first. "Well... you're older than I thought."

"Intimidating," Jaune croaked.

"Mysterious," stated Ren.

"Strong," sang Nora.

"Hotter than I ever imagined," Yang cooed, much to Ruby's displeasure.

Mercer's jade eyes found their way to Weiss, who was still giving him a hateful glare. Ruby's explanation of the Schnee girl flooded his mind. The white haired young woman would not likely be civil with him. Mercer wasn't fond of snobby individuals who had everything handed to them, but since Weiss was Ruby's friend, the merc would attempt to put with her. His indifferent gaze continued to look on her ice blue eyes as if daring her to speak.

Eventually she did. The ice queen said very little, but each word was filled with content. "Suspicious and a threat," Weiss declared.

Her blonde and black haired teammates gave her a harsh look, clearly angry that at the fact that Weiss had broken her promise to give Mercer a chance. Ruby started to say something, but the Viper's hand motioned for her to stay quiet. The black haired man grabbed his empty food tray and stood up. He stared at the people he had just come to now before saying four words.

"Nice meeting you all," was what Mercer said before he heading to the exit, throwing away his used utensils and tray in the process. Unknown to those he just left, Mercer's beautiful glowing eyes had dulled into a dead state. He suddenly stopped halfway to the exit and turned around and made his way back to the table. Turns out Yang had relieved him of his scroll to get his contact information and add hers to his contacts. Without uttering a word, Mercer reclaimed his scroll and turned around to leave.

But not before saying one last thing.

"... you hate me, don't you Weiss Schnee?"

His question put a surprised look on the heiress's face. She started to speak, but closed her mouth before she made a sound.

Mercer continued. "That's fine..." one final time he looked at Weiss, letting his lifeless eyes bury themselves into her subconscious. "... I've been hated most of my life, one more person won't make a difference," he concluded. With his final declaration, the dark hunter turned away from the shocked students and headed straight out the door..

Once Mercer had left, all eyes turned to the stunned Schnee girl, still frozen from the emptiness in the eyes of the mercenary.

"Goddammit Weiss, can you ever say anything nice," Yang yelled, visibly infuriated by her teammate's actions. The object of the brawler's rage kept her mouth shut, not able to voice a defense. That look that Mercer had in his eyes cut deep into her soul. All her training that she put herself through, all the preparations to become a top class huntress were rendered useless against that single glare Mercer gave her. Those eyes were soulless, completely void of any drive, hope, or reason to live. That man had so much darkness in him, the heiress had no idea how someone so deep in despair could keep from... ending it all. That Mercer was not the same man who walked into the dining hall with Ruby; while Weiss would never admit it out loud, the man she saw walk in with her partner was powerful, confident, and easily able to take on the world by himself. The heiress could tell that Mercer Knight would be one of the strongest hunters she would ever meet. But they way he looked at her... Mercer showed her how far a single person can fall, he gave her a glimpse at whats it's like to have nothing to live for.

Weiss looked away from her comrades, unable to handle their judgmental looks. She'd made a huge mistake and she wasn't sure if it could be remedied. Slowly turning to Ruby, her mood worsened. The young girl in the red cloak hadn't taken her eyes off of the door that her new friend had left from. A single tear had fallen down her face, indicating that she too had seen the death in his eyes. The ice queen returned her gaze to the ground, guilt threatening to overtake her.

_"What have I done?"_

Goodwitch had watched everything transpire between Mercer, RWBY, and JNPR and to day that the blonde teacher was upset was the understatement of the year, despite her hiding it. She was first worried that the other students would isolate Mercer, but Nora's little "greeting" put that thought to rest. Then she became irritated at Yang's close proximity and actions around him. Goodwitch couldn't fathom why she was so bothered by these ministrations. Was she jealous? No. No, why would a beautiful grown woman be jealous of a attractive teenage girl flirting with a Adonis like Mercer? Wait... Adonis?! What was she thinking?

_"What are you doing Glynda? You're a teacher and he's a student. Plus you're at least twice his age, even if he is older than the girls he is currently around, it's still wrong despite how much you want him to run his hands all over your body and-"_ Goodwitch completely stopped her train of thought and quickly stood up. Not wanting her coworkers to notice the immense vibrant blush across her face. The sorceress made her way to a nearby window, letting the morning light hide her blush. Turning back to Mercer's direction, she continued to to watch the dark warrior. She truly enjoys how the young man is quiet and respectful to people around him, and also how he ignores Yang's flirting, which caused a smirk to form on the blonde's face. After reading his file, Goodwitch was worried about how he would act around others

Remembering that file brought back the memory of the horrid dreams she had the night before.

In her years as a huntress, Goodwitch had seen many, many horrible things. Things ranging from Grimm dismembering people to the complete slaughter of entire towns. She'd watched children bleed to death while the begged for help when none could be given. The blonde huntress had woke up screaming in the past from what she had seen, eventually the nightmares left, but the memories remained. But what Mercer endured... was something not even the most evil person deserved to experience. It was one thing to have your parents murdered, but to have the same people who killed them abduct and use you as a test subject for... what was done to Mercer. Never had Goodwitch felt such hate for the White Fang, she never liked the methods they used... but what they did to Mercer, she loathed them for it. The White Fang robbed Mercer of his childhood and forced him into a life he didn't have to live, and the most dreadful part is that he took to it in strides. Mercer Knight became the Viper; a cold, unforgiving mercenary who never allowed his enemies to live. Mercer never deserved it, he should have never have been tainted by this death-fueled life.

The bespectacled teacher pulled out of her thoughts when she saw the table Mercer was at went silent. Before she could question why, the dark hunter was up and leaving. Then he went back all of a sudden, seems he left his scroll. Once again Mercer stopped, and thanks to her talent at lip-reading, Goodwitch learned the last thing he said before leaving, though she wished she hadn't. The sorceress mouthed out his words, trying her best not to choke from heartbreak.

"You hate me, don't you Weiss Schnee... that's fine... I've been hated most of my life, one more person won't make a difference."

Goodwitch caught a glimpse of how his eyes lacked he same light they normally had. She wanted nothing more than to run to him and pull the depressed man into an embrace. Even if would have looked wrong to those around them, bringing Mercer comfort would be Goodwitch's only goal. But Mercer had already left the dining hall before the courage to act came to her. Resigned to her sorrow, the blonde turned back to the window, fighting the urge to breakdown into a sobbing fit.

_"You don't deserve to live in eternal sorrow Mercer... I wish you could see that there still is light that will comfort you."_

**And that's all I got for you this chapter. Again, words can not express how much I regret not having this up sooner. I plan to try harder to update this faster. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter.**

** Review and comment please. I don't hear much from you guys, I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions. **


	7. Chapter 5

**RWBY: Viper's Glare**

** Hello people of the internet, FallenSymphony963 here bringing you the next chapter of Viper's Glare and the first chapter to be delivered from my new college dorm room. Despite now having to deal with college life, I will still try to get these chapters out as fast as possible. Also thank all of you readers who took the time to review and message me about the last chapter and the story in general. I had a couple of wonderful conversations with a few of you and I appreciate it greatly. I love to talk to my readers, so feel free to message me about the fic, I will usually answer within the day, unless its from a guest, I have no clue how to respond to those.**

** Well no time to waste, the first taste of combat in this story is here and ready for you all.**

** Disclaimer: I own nothing**

** ON WITH THE SHOW!**

**Chapter 5: Snake Dancer**

** Hallway**

Mercer walked away from the mass of students in the dining hall, planning to head to his first class. Grimm Studies with Professor Port, a useful course in the dark hunter's eyes. It would help him fight the creatures of Grimm better, since currently he was more adept at fighting people. The mercenary still had his last statement to Ruby and her companions stuck in his head.

_"... I think my last comment was uncalled for,"_ the merc thought while mulling over his previous actions.

_**"Don't act like it wasn't a correct statement Mercer."**_

The dark warrior dropped to his knees and clutched his head. An immense pain throbbed inside his skull, causing Mercer to snarl in disgust.

The voice in his head had returned.

_**"Aw don't be like that Mercer, you're stuck with me until the end of your days. After all, we're the same person,"**_ the voice cackled in amusement.

Mercer was filled with pure hate as he tried to speak in his mind. _"... we are... not... the same."_ The unbelievable pulsing discomfort was making it hard to fight back.

The voice laughed at the young man's denial. _**"Not the same? That's rich. Technically we are. I'm your instincts, the most basic thoughts in this messed up little head of yours. You are hated Mercer, as you stated, why would you not be? How many humans and Faunus have you murdered? Hundreds? Thousands? How many sons and daughters have you slain? What about brothers and sisters? Parents? Or the people who might have been responsible for being the only happiness in someone's life?"**_

The jade eyed man stayed silent. Damn voice shows up at his moments of weakness to try to destroy the thin barrier that keeps his insanity in check. For years Mercer has been fighting a losing battle against his slowly degrading mental state. His own powers and abilities are turning him into a madman bit by bit. Everyday it gets worse... and it takes all of his willpower to keep him from falling into madness.

_**"Silent treatment again, eh? Fine, I'll talk, you listen. It's ironic really... you try so hard to deny my existence and you own desires despite the fact, no matter how much you refuse to believe... you enjoy it. Deep down Mercer you find pleasure in all the killing. Its your fuel, your drive, your nature. Mercer Knight... no, you deserve the name Viper, you're a monster that thrives off the blood and ash of death and destruction. Face it, you're no different than the creatures of Grimm, the only thing missing is the mask!"**_

With his instinct's final declaration, Mercer flared his aura to incredibly high level, not his max, but close. The windows along the hallway began to crack under the great pressure radiating off of the mercenary. Mercer was pissed, his normally calm persona was replaced with absolute rage. The spear-master pushed the voice back into the deep reaches of his subconscious.

"... get back in your cage," Mercer commanded with a eerily placid tone.

_**"Alright... alright, I'll leave you be. Just remember, I am always here... and you will see things my way... soon,"**_ the voiced whispered before fading away.

The irritated Mercer stayed in his kneeling position until he was sure the insane voice was gone. Eventually he stood up and fixed his hair and clothing before continuing on to the classroom, hoping to forget what transpired.

Unknown to the troubled youth, Ozpin had witnessed the entire episode. The headmaster fixed his glasses, also cracked from Mercer's aura, on his face. A look of pity and deep respect washed of the silver haired man's face.

_"You bear a heavy burden Mr. Knight. The Corruption inside you has taken root deep in your mind... and I can only hope that your tale does not end in tragedy. I owe your mother that much of a promise,"_ he thought, remembering someone he called a friend.

**Ten Minutes Later**

The girls of team RWBY quietly walked towards Port's class two minutes before the bell rang. The four huntresses really not in the mood for their professor's ramblings about his "past deeds and old experiences." The incident with Mercer had soured their moods. Blake was displeased with Weiss and her attitude towards the mysterious man. Yang was like Blake, only angrier. The brawler was pissed at how Mercer was treated as well that he was scared off before she could flirt more. Ruby walked in silence behind her sister, still depressed. Other than Weiss and Goodwitch, the crimson cloaked girl was the only one who saw the dead look in her friend's eyes. The pain that she saw revealed that the tall hunter had experienced the worst the world could offer. Weiss herself was the most effected. Guilt had finally seeped into her being and it was eating away at her. She needed to apologize to him, and soon.

The quartet were so lost in their own little worlds that they didn't noticed who was in the classroom until the last moment. In the first row of the room, leaning back in a chair, was Mercer Knight... reading a book, oblivious to the world.

RWBY stood there shell-shocked. Who would've thought that Mercer had the same first class as them. Of course they didn't know Ozpin had set it up to where the majority of the slit eyed man's classes would coincide with with theirs so he would be near them for support. Seeing that he was engrossed with his book, the four walked pasted him, only giving the silent warrior a passing glance and sat in the row above him. When the bell finally rang for the class to begin, Mercer closed his reading material and focused on the detailed examples of various Grimm on the boards.

Professor Port was an eccentric man. He often got off track with his lectures by recalling the many events of his life. Despite his rather comical appearance of being a short, pudgy man with a oversized fluffy mustache (which he very proud of), Port was a skilled hunter who was an expert in the field of Grimm. Unlike every other day, the mustached teacher was in a incredibly serious mood. Early this morning Ozpin had called a meeting for all teachers to inform them that a mercenary had enrolled into Beacon as a student. At first many didn't find this to be a big deal, then the headmaster dropped the name Viper. The news that Remnant's most dangerous mercenary was attending Beacon had mixed responses. Most were concerned with the safety of the other students, others called for Mercer to be thrown out. Bottom line was that the majority of them feared the young Mercer Knight, which was understandable with a reputation like his. Amazingly, Glynda had defended the young warrior before the negative comments could continue. Ozpin had also vouched for him as well, saying that his skill and power would be a valuable asset to the Academy. Port himself, along with Oobleck, believed that the merc should be allowed to prove his worth by being a student.

Since Port had had the young man in question in his first class, he used the opportunity to give Mercer the test to prove his worth. The other teachers agreed and left it up to their mustached colleague to see how he fared against Grimm in combat. The hefty teacher stroked his glorious facial hair as he thought on the best course of action.

"_Hmm... yes... that would suit well for the test,"_ he concluded as he walked into his classroom. Low and behold, the snaked eyed warrior sat in the first row of the room, intently studying the boards.

"Ah, welcome back all you fine hunters-and-huntresses- in-training!" Port's boisterous voice grabbed the attention of all the young people in the room.

"Now normally we begin our time together with a lecture..." a series of of groans followed the teacher's declaration. "... but will will be trying something different today. I wish to see how well one of you deals with combating a Grimm I pick at random. You all must be prepared for any situation that arises. So... do I have a volunteer?"

The room stayed silent with Port's question. If it wasn't straight after breakfast most of them would begrudgingly except the challenge. Seeing that no one else would step up, Mercer let out a barely audible sigh and raised his hand. The Viper figured this would be a good test of how his fighting style fared against monsters.

Port smiled under his mustache, his plan had worked perfectly. By pulling a combat trial right after breakfast, he knew that the students wouldn't be able to fight properly at their current levels. But someone like Mercer Knight, who has preconditioned himself to changing situations from years of being a mercenary, this would not effect his performance.

"Excellent enthusiasm Mr..."

"Knight. Mercer Knight."

Port smiled. "Mr. Knight, please go and change into your combat attire and collect your weapon, then report back here."

The merc gave a nod and exited the room, leaving a worried Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang to await his return. Since they were unaware of how much more skilled Mercer was than them, they assumed that this wouldn't end well, despite him radiating power. Several moments later the jade eyed hunter returned in his personal black and green suit. Ruby, who had already seen Mercer in his suit, was not mesmerized by his devilishly handsome appearance. Unlike her younger sister, Yang had her eyes wide and it almost seemed like steam was coming out of her head, to the blonde Mercer was a dark god; cloaked in shadows and accented in vibrant green. Ruby only rolled her eyes at her elder sister. Of course most of the girls in class had adopted a similar facial expression, but Yang just looked the most amusing.

What the young leader did find interesting was what was strapped to Mercer's waist. A black leather combat belt had replaced the dress one he wore earlier. Attached to it was leather straps of the same black color that wrapped around his thighs. Along the belt and straps were multiple pouches which could be assumed to be containing ammunition for his weapon. Speaking of the weapon he carried, what could be assumed to be Mercer's weapon was resting in a black leather holster on his right hip. Much like Crescent Rose, his weapon was condensed down into a standby mode. Ruby was very interested to see what his weapon really looked like, and considering that Professor Port had just returned with a massive cage, she and the other were about to see the skill of the Viper, Remnant's top mercenary.

"Are you prepared Mr. Knight," the teacher asked as he raised his ax-blunderbuss to the ropes binding the cage shut.

Mercer gave the man a nod and adopted the face of a hardened warrior. His hand went down to his hip next. In one fluid motion Mercer removed his weapon from its holster and spun it in the air above his head. The other students gawked in amazement as the standby mode disengaged and began to transform. When the change was complete, the red cloaked leader of RWBY went wide eyed with excitement.

Mercer Knight turned to face the cage, in his hand was a magnificent seven foot spear. The weapon shared the same jade coloring of its wielder's eyes and black markings jutted down the shaft. Its bladed head gleamed in the room's light, letting all know that Empty Promise was ready to do the bidding of its master.

The possessor of the glorious spear shifted his left leg back and bent his knees slightly. He then leaned forward to balance himself out. Long arms moved to complete his combat stance. The right arm holding Empty Promise straightened out, allowing the shaft of the weapon to rest on his back. The left arm pressed forward towards the cage, his fingers bent in a fashion to where his hand resembled a claw. With that... the Viper was ready to strike.

Port brought his ax down on the ropes of the cage. "Begin," he called out as the door fell to the ground and a full grown Ursa Major bellowed out of its prison.

Time seemed to slow down as the monster rushed the stationary hunter. Ruby and the others yelled for Mercer to move, but he remained a statue. Little did they know that what they were about to see why his fighting style was described as quick, elegant, and brutal.

Slit eyes never left the Ursa, the world seemed to come to a stop as Mercer analyzed his prey. _"Ursa, full grown. Approximately 15 feet in height, eight hundred forty-seven pounds in weight. Back, front legs, and the top of the head are covered in bone armor...so attacking at those spots would yield no results. Best option would be the underside,"_ the spear-master concluded. What came next caused all jaws in the room to drop. As the beast got within striking distance, Mercer spun around and delivered a crushing roundhouse kick to the Ursa's snout. The monster stood up on its hind legs, thrown back from the powerful strike the young man delivered. The Grimm spread its massive front legs, ready to grab Mercer. The Viper expected that and twisted his spear around to where the blunt pommel was then in the air. With a great force, Mercer brought the weapon down on the Ursa's head in a vertical arch, cracking the bone mask in the process. As the beast fell down wards, the suit garbed warrior thrust his free left had up, sending it straight into the monster's throat. With an audible gurgle, Mercer ripped his hand out of the Grimm's neck, bringing the creature's windpipe out with it. The lack of support from the hunter caused the Ursa's carcass to fall to the ground with a thud. In a matter of moments, Mercer had killed a full grown Ursa Major without it causing so much as a scratch on the green eyed man.

The classroom was as silent as the dead Grimm. No one dared speak, the shock of Mercer decimating the monster had rendered them speechless.

Eventually Port started clapping. "Splendid work Mr. Knight. I must say that I have never seen such a prominent display of mastery over one's fighting style. You truly have the merit of a true hunter!"

The mustached instructor turned to the rest of the class to give him the good news. "Since your colleague showed such a excellent display of fighting Grimm, I will allow the class to end early today. It is my hope that you all see Mr. Knight as a testamen true hunter and aim to reach a level near his. You are all dismissed, and remember... stay vigilant."

Seeing no other reason to remain in the classroom, Mercer pulled out the same book he was reading earlier after sheathing his spear and walked out of the room. Moments later the girls of RWBY followed after.

Once all the students had filed out of the classroom, Port went to his desk. Pulling out a scroll, the stout man sent a message to the headmaster, explaining that the former mercenary will be well of at Beacon.

_"I saw the darkness in your eyes Mr. Knight... learn to let it go. You might find that four young women would make great influences on you."_

**Finished... god that took forever. So Mercer destroyed that Ursa eh? That was incredibly fun to write, and it shows how deadly he can be.**

** So a few things about this chapter...**

** Mercer's past caused him to develop a case of schizophrenia which manifest itself as that voice he hears. You haven't heard the last of it, the voice plays a major role.**

** Ozpin knows Mercer's mother. What could that be about? I'm not telling... yet.**

** I hope the fight scene was good, it was the first I ever wrote and it surely isn't the last.**

** So I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and are looking forward to more. I'll see you all in the near future.**

** P.S. While it's still on my mind, I'd love to see some fan-art of Mercer. It could be of him by himself, with his weapon fighting, or with him and your favorite RWBY girl. No big deal with me, I'd just love to see some.**


	8. Chapter 6

**RWBY: Viper's Glare**

** Hello people, I'm back! Sorry its been awhile, college takes up time, but I have returned to give you the next chapter of Viper's Glare. I was thrilled at how well the last chapter was received, made me feel good about the direction this fic is taking. So this chapter is really just one big fat helping of character development, meaning there won't be any high levels of badassery this time... that's the next two chapters. This is also on the longer side of my most recent chapters, trying to fit the story together the way it is in my head.**

** So a guest asked what the meaning behind this fic's name, and my answer is that its a play on Mercer and his semblance. Viper is the codename given to him during his mercenary days and Glare is term used to describe how Mercer uses his semblance, which is ocular (meaning his eyes).**

** Hope that answers a question that anybody had.**

** Now lets get to it.**

** Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mercer, anything else belongs to its respective owners.**

**Chapter 6: To Know Another**

"Where did he go?"

"How am I supposed to know?"

"It's almost like he disappeared."

"Man, that stud is fast."

Disregarding Yang's statement, the girls of RWBY continued to search for Mercer, who seemingly vanished when class ended. The campus might have been large, but even with Ruby's speed someone couldn't cover half the grounds in the little time that the dark hunter has been gone. The young women continued to search for their associate, hoping to speak with the man who easily killed a powerful Grimm.

Ruby wanted to talk with Mercer about his weapon. Being a weapon enthusiast, it was a must for the small leader. She had never seen such a beautiful weapon before, other than Crescent Rose of course. He used his spear with such grace that one could have mistaken that small example of his fighting style for dancing.

Weiss still had the to apologize to the mercenary-turned-hunter. The fight against the Ursa Major proved that it was better not to have Mercer as an enemy. Plus the heiress truly felt bad about what she had said to him and wanted to make amends.

Blake was truly just their to help her teammates look for the jade and black spear-man But the amber eyed woman also had this nagging feeling that something about Mercer was familiar, though she was unsure of what it was. Something just seemed... dangerous about him, like he was, dare she say... terrifying. And yet, also mesmerizing.

And Yang... well she just wanted a chance to flirt more. Seeing Mercer's attire, the way he stood, and his skill in combat ignited a flame in the blonde's core. He was perfect; calm, handsome, and powerful beyond reason. In her eyes, Mercer was a god, and she wanted him.

Eventually the four slowed down, seeing that they wouldn't find the merc. Weiss decided to speak. "It's obvious that we won't find him, we'll just have to catch him in the morning," the white haired girl stated.

"Aw... I wanted to talk to him," Yang pouted.

"Your method of _talking_ isn't how most people would carry out a conversation," Blake chuckled, earning a irritated look from the brawler.

Ruby just shook her head and started to walk away. "Weiss is right, we'll just have to find Mercer tomor-" the young girl stopped in place and looked to her right. Her eyes went wide and her jaw dropped slightly. The other three were confused as to why Ruby stopped, so they went over to her. Somehow the four had ended up outside the terrace where Port had lectured Weiss on teamwork. And sitting there on a bench was the man that they had been searching two hours for.

Mercer was sitting there, reading the same damn book, oblivious to the world around him.

Weiss' eyebrow twitched at the sight. "You have got to be kidding me."

"How did we not see him there," was Yang's question.

"... he really is silent," Blake stated, unable to comprehend how somebody had out classed her in stealth.

Mercer made no indication of being aware of their presence. The quartet of girls just continued to observe him for a few minutes. The oblivious man just flipped the pages of the book every five or so seconds. Eventually Ruby asked the burning question.

"Who wants to talk to him first?"

Nobody said anything about the question, each unsure of how to start a conversation with Mercer. The warrior was still an enigma to them, so there was no way of knowing how to avoid a tender subject. The Schnee heiress let out a sigh and walked out towards the merc. The other three hid around the corner, waiting to see what Weiss would do.

The former mercenary was currently lost in thought. The events during class puzzled him. The the part about the Ursa, but what Ruby and her team said

They told him to move.

… why would they say that?

Could it be that they were... concerned with his well-being?

Mercer was confused. They barely know him, so it made little sense why they would care. The dark spear-master figured his lack of understanding others was the cause of his confusion. Years of self-isolation had desensitized him from basic emotion. He truly was as cold as people claimed him to be, but he was like that for his own reasons. So no longer wanting to waste time with this trivial conundrum, the quiet man pushed those thoughts to the side and continued with his current book.

But the sound of boots stepping out in front of him broke his concentration. Mercer pried his glowing gemstone eyes away from the book to find Weiss Schnee standing in front of him. The girl in white was rubbing her arm and wore a neutral expression on her face.

Mercer's blank expression did not change as he stared at the heiress. Now he got a good chance to look at her, unlike before when he was in a less than compilable mood. The snake eyed hunter couldn't deny what was in front of him, she was beautiful. Very beautiful for that matter. Then again... so were the other women he had met at Beacon. The merc was far from being dense, he just chose to avoid people. Equal parts trust issues and not wanting to be hurt. The scar on her angelic face quickly caught his attention. _"Seems we both bear marks of our past, Weiss Schnee,"_ he thought, remembering his own scar to the left of his eye.

The two continued their staring contest until Mercer spoke. "Is there something you need Miss Schnee," the sitting man asked.

Weiss adopted a small blush and bit her lower lip. This was embarrassing for the white haired girl, his jade eyes that glowed like stars were focused intently on her. "I-I'm..." she started, but couldn't finish. The warrior in front of her raised an eyebrow. She started to think about dropping it and walking away, forgetting about the apology. But one look at him made that idea disappear. Despite how badly she had treated him, Mercer's expression held no malice. Weiss couldn't believe what she was seeing. He wasn't angry at her. How? The dark hunter had every right to be mad... but he wasn't. The ice queen then noticed the scar he had by his left eye. It was slightly larger than hers, and much deeper. _"We seem to have something in common," _she stated to herself. Weiss light out a sigh and soften her features. "I'm sorry... for what I said to you," the guilt had finally resided as she spoke those words.

"... you don't have to apologize," was Mercer's response.

"But I-" she tried to say before he cut her off.

"Its only natural to be wary new people," Mercer continued, crossing his and leaning back. "In truth I should be the one apologizing for my brash actions," the snake eyed man concluded.

The heiress took a step back at his statement. Weiss would have never believed this man could be so... noble. While she might not call him a friend (yet), the Schnee girl had gained a new found respect for the imposing, yet honorable, man sitting on the bench.

Weiss shook her head and adopted a small smile. "I think we're even now Mercer, and call me Weiss please, _Miss Schnee_ makes me feel like I'm in a meeting."

"Very well," was Mercer's response. The spear-wielder shifted his posture and closed his eyes. But before he could adjust himself, Mercer suddenly had an extra weight on him. Slit eyes opened to find a mess of long blonde hair in his line of sight. He looked down to see that Yang had decided to take a seat... on his lap. The bodacious woman gave him a seductive grin before wrapping her arms around his neck and placing her head in the nap of his neck. The black haired man kept an emotionless face and looked up to find that Ruby and Blake were now standing by Weiss.

Yang, very much enjoying the position she was in, looked over to her three teammates to find that her bold action had put a blush on their faces. Grinning in victory, the blonde turned back to the godly man she was using as a seat and began to trace her finger around Mercer's neck tattoo. When sh felt him shiver slightly, a feeling of victory washed over Yang, knowing that she had a slight effect on the suit wearing warrior.

"Ask," Mercer suddenly said after the awkward silence continued for a moment.

The four women gave him a confused look, which caused the sole male to sigh.

"You have questions I presume?"

"Oh..." team RWBY said in unison, finally understanding what Mercer was saying.

"Are you in a relationship with anyone," Yang inquired, taking the first question.

"No," he deadpanned.

That answer was exactly what the blonde wanted to hear. Her grin got even wider with the thoughts that ran through her head.

Weiss claimed the next question. "How did you do... that, back in the classroom?" She was curious on who could teach such a effective and graceful combat style.

His answer came as quite a shock to all four of them. "Years of practice... self-taught... my own personal style."

The white themed girl's jaw dropped at this revelation. To think he created that style himself... saying that it was impressive wouldn't be justice to it.

Blake then took a seat next to their new friend and her partner who was sitting on his lap. "What was that book you were reading in class and a moment ago," the amber eyed ninja asked. Originally she was going to ask if Mercer was a Faunus, but Ruby had told them that the jade and black cloaked man was human and his eyes were not to be asked about. Apparently his eyes was a taboo subject. So in order to avoid another incident, she asked about his book, which she was also genuinely curious about.

"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo... I like dark mysteries," Mercer answered.

Blake's eyes widened at his answer. _"Dark doesn't even begin to describe that book, still... he has good taste."_

Ruby stepped forward next. "Can you tell me about your weapon please," the young leader chirped in a sweet voice with her eyes glittering.

Mercer looked at her for a moment before taking an unexpected action. The jade eyed man put one arm around Yang's shoulders and the other under her knees. Before the quartet could ask what he was doing, Mercer stood with Yang in his arms in a bridal carry. Needless to say the blonde went as red as her sister's hood. But before she could enjoy herself more, the dark hunter placed her on the bench next to her bow wearing partner. The merc turned away from team RWBY and walked a few feet away from them. In one fluid motion Mercer drew Empty Promise and shifted it into its spear form before resting the magnificent weapon on his shoulder. He then turned to Ruby. The weapon fanatic had stars in her eyes as he walked up to her.

When Mercer was directly on front of the scythe-master he moved his spear from his shoulder to between the two. "This is my spear, Empty Promise..." he began, followed by a series of "oohs" from the girls. "Seven feet in length, twenty-seven pounds in weight. Its made of a special compound of metals that can channel aura though it. And it also..." Mercer pressed a near invisible button on the shaft and Empty Promise began to transform again. Once it was done the weapon took the form of a bolt-action, double-barreled high caliber rifle. "... and it doubles as a rifle," Mercer concluded.

The four huntress-in-training continued to analyze the graceful weapon of their accomplice. Empty Promise was masterfully crafted and beautifully designed. The spear was both deadly and mesmerizing to look at, much like its master.

"What kind of ammunition does it use," the scarlet cloaked girl questioned.

The merc stuck his left hand into one of the pouches and pulled out a large silver colored bullet. "Armor-piercing hollow-point rounds," Mercer responded, twirling the bullet in his fingers.

The young team leader couldn't help but be awed Mercer's spear. The jade and black spear was a weapon lover's dream. She would go as far to say that it was better than her own Crescent Rose, she'd never admit it out loud.

The warrior with gem eyes eventually returned his tool of combat to its holster and looked down at his watch to see it was getting late. Mercer tapped his wrist and the four women understood the meaning. The girls of RWBY bid farewell to the former mercenary, each much happier that the man in black opened up to them more.

**Aww... that was a sweet moment between Mercer and Weiss... which was completely ruined by Yang.**

** Anyway, fun chapter. Hope it helped flush out Mercer and the girls more. You got to see a bit of why Mercer is on the cold side, he has his reasons... unlike some whiny emos you see in animes. That's not Mercer, hes just a stoic bad-ass.**

** So next chapter will have Mercer reveal something about himself along with a girl realizing that she loves the slit eyed warrior (I hope its not to early in the fic to do that).**

** Review, comment, PM if you so desire, I just like to talk to you guys.**

** See ya.**


	9. Chapter 7

**RWBY: Viper's Glare**

** Hello readers, FallenSymphony963 is back and ready to give you all a new chapter! Holy Shit, over 5,000 views... man I love you guys. Now this chapter will reveal one of Mercer's primary talents as well one woman realizing that they love Mercer. Who you may ask? Well just read on to see who. And don't worry... there are still six more ladies to go.**

** So lets get to it!**

** Disclaimer: RWBY is owned by Roosterteeth and that fabulous genius Monty Oum.**

**Chapter 7: Passion of the Black Storm**

A few weeks had passed since Mercer's flawless battle against the Ursa, and things had pretty much gone back to normal for the students at Beacon.

Pretty much...

Mercer had continued to outdo himself in every class, quickly becoming every teacher's favorite student. Every challenge Port gave him, Mercer excelled in them. Professor Peach was impressed with his knowledge of medicine, botanical science, and dust usage. Oobleck was often seen discussing battlefield tactics with him. And to everyone's surprise, Goodwitch never yelled or reprimanded him for a mistake in her classes, not that the former merc made mistakes. Sometimes she'd stutter around him or quickly look away if he looked in her direction. Nobody really knew why the blonde teacher acted like this, so they chose to ignore it.

The jade eyed warrior's relationships with other students was good... sort of. Most of the time, other than the members of RWBY and JNPR, people gave Mercer his space. His intimidating yet attractive looks combined with how he handled that Ursa seemed to make it hard to approach him. There was the occasional random female student who worked up the courage to speak to him, only to get shy and run away when he said something.

Team JNPR was easy for Mercer to get along with. After the little fiasco on his first day, the dark hunter quickly apologized for his actions. Jaune and Pyrrha studied with Mercer for test and Nora would ask him random questions when she saw him. And despite how little they spoke to each other , Ren and the merc formed a close bond. Not friendship per say, but a mutual respect for one another. There was actually one morning when Mercer went to the dining hall earlier than most and found Ren making breakfast. The snake like warrior said nothing before dawning an apron himself and helping out. Of course... Mercer had no idea the effect of him wearing an apron and cooking food would have on the majority of Beacon's female populace.

Needless to say many nearly died of blood-loss form nosebleeds and the clothes washers at the Academy were filled with soaked panties that day.

Though it was RWBY that the spear-wielder was most seen with. Many would have believed that he was a fifth member of the all girl team. After that first day, at least one of the four was seen around him for the majority of a day. If he wasn't completing assignments and projects with Weiss, he was reading with Blake. If Yang wasn't flirting with Mercer, Ruby was dragging him around the school for various reasons.

While the jade and black themed man was often with one of them, he never showed emotion. Usually there would be at least one moment of they day that the quartet of girls would cause a comical situation, Mercer would never laugh or smile. That aspect of his personality caused some worry with his friends. But none of them dared to say anything. In the weeks they'd known Mercer, the only things he shared with them was his weapon, his taste in literature, and the fact he has a taste for strawberry cheesecake, since they once saw him eying one feverishly and how he was very protective of it when he got it. That whole day was a strange one. The only logical explanation they could deduce was that the jade eyed man would reveal more about himself when he got more comfortable. But he was getting better.

But they would soon learn something... they would get a small taste of the Viper's power.

**Aura Control Class**

As the name of the course implies, the students at Beacon learn to harness their aura an perfect their control over it. Considered one of the most important classes one can take, a passing grade is most vital to one's career as a hunter. Which is why, teams RWBY, JNPR, Mercer, and other students are currently listening to Professor Goodwitch explain aura control.

"And now you will be required to use your aura for a graded evaluation," the blonde sorceress said while looking over her roster. "You will need to maintain your aura at its max level for two minutes so that your levels can be scanned and evaluated," she concluded while fixing her glasses.

And so one by one the students did as commanded and used their aura. Most were average in power and control levels. Ruby and Yang had more than average aura levels with slightly less control of their petals and flames respectively. Nora was also high in aura levels but low in control, unlike Ren who had excellent control but low reserves. Then there was Weiss, Blake, and Pyrrha who had equally distributed high control and power. When Jaune went to present, everyone minus Pyrrha and Mercer was surprised at how much aura the blonde had.

"Well Mr. Arc, I'm surprised. You have quite a lot of aura, well done," Goodwitch complemented in a curt manner. He responded by rubbing the back of his head and giving a meek smile. Jaune walked back to his friends who proceeded to praise him for his good work.

All the time Mercer was leaning against a nearby wall, observing everyone. Despite having what he assumed to be friends, Mercer still had his loner persona and liked the solitude. It wasn't that he disliked any of them, he just had no idea how to interact with them properly. The merc didn't have a normal life by any standard, so he really couldn't interact long with them.

"Mr. Knight... I-Its your turn," the stuttering voice of the sorceress professor called out. Mercer turned his head away from his fellow to meet his teacher. The blonde had her face up to her eyes covered by her scroll, hiding a blush across her cheeks. No matter how hard she tried, Goodwitch could never keep her calm around the slit eyed man. In the weeks since he enrolled, Mercer had easily become her favorite student. She thrived off the days she got to see him, just being in the same room as him made the blond's heart flutter. The sorceress was having a difficult time denying the growing feelings in her heart. Mercer was quickly cementing himself in her life. Even if they were... lovers ( that very thought nearly made her die from embarrassment ), a relationship between student and student was surely forbidden, not that Ozpin had said anything about it. Unsure of if these growing emotions were in fact... love, the beautiful teacher would just one more push to confirm how she truly felt about Mercer.

The merc nodded at his professor and walked onto the platform where the scan takes place. Mercer had his back to the others who were still crowded around Jaune. Only Ruby and Goodwitch had their eyes on him. _"Full power hmm..."_ Mercer mused, knowing exactly what his full power would do. _"... they're going to need new windows then." _He inhaled deeply and closed his eyes, then he released the power of the Viper.

And the weight of his aura came crashing down on those around him.

The next thing the class knew, they were all on the ground. Nobody could explain what happened, only that a sudden immense weight was pressing down on them. Team RWBY along with Pyrrha and Ren had managed to only go to their hands and knees while Jaune was tasting the floor and Nora was on her back. Even Goodwitch, an experienced huntress, had trouble keeping her balance. The room temperature had dropped to a point where everyone could see their breath clearly. The pressure coming down on them could only be compared to being trapped at the bottom of an ocean. It was crushing. Suffocating. And most of all... dark. With time the students and teacher were able to notice that the overwhelming power had a focal point nearby.

When they turned they finally understood how much more advanced he was compared to them.

They now understood Mercer's power.

The Viper's power.

Mercer was enveloped by a huge aura cloak that danced around him like a raging windstorm. It was colored the deepest black that could be imagined with flecks of green sparkling with in the dark storm. The cloak had a two foot radius around him, making it impossible to approach him. Mercer himself had adopted a change when he summoned his aura. The insignia on his back shined jade green through the black wind, as well as his shirt. The wind caused his clothes and hair to flutter with the speed of the storm. When he turned to face his associates, the dark hunter showed that his black tattoos now glowed green like his shirt and insignia. But the greatest surprise came when he open his eyes again. Now those twin gemstones truly glowed like stars in the night sky. The women in the room found themselves enraptured even more now. Before he was handsome, now Mercer was drop dead gorgeous.

Eventually the scan was complete and Mercer released his focus and let his aura fade. With that the others were able to stand and breath normally again. Once again, like with the Ursa, the stoic spear-master had rendered those around him speechless. Then a cracking noise was heard above them. They all looked up to see that ALL of the windows in the room were shattered beyond repair. All eyes turned back to Mercer, who was still looking at the windows. Whispers began to fill the room about the former mercenary.

_"What the hell was that?"_

_ "Is he even human?"_

_ "He could be a Faunus."_

_ "I don't think any Faunus or human could have THAT much power."_

_ "I'm still shaking..."_

_ "God... he looked SO HOT."_

_ "Amen to that sister."_

Teams RWBY and JNPR did not participate in the gossip. They respected Mercer and would not drop to the level of saying hings like the others. But they did understand one thing. Mercer outclassed everyone. He was as strong as a teacher if not better. His skill was unparalleled and his power was almost... demonic in scale. Even though his aura was freezing, they felt an unusual warmth under the icy darkness. It called out to them. Almost like there was an inviting flame imprisoned by the dark.

While Goodwitch also felt the hidden warmth Mercer gave off, the blonde teacher also saw another underlying feeling. Sorrow. That was what Mercer was emanating with his aura. It was the same dark emotion she saw in his eyes weeks back. Once again, Goodwitch own soul called for her to comfort him. It caused her such pain to see him like that. It was the breaking point of how Goodwitch felt for Mercer, it wouldn't take much more for her feeling to evolve into something more.

Looking down at the scan's results, Goodwitch truly comprehended one of the reasons why Mercer was so successful in his mercenary days. Other than being able to immobilize opponents with its sheer density, his aura was basically indestructible, and he had absolute control over all that power. And as a bonus, Mercer's aura reserves were astronomical. The dark hunter had reserves three times the size of Jaune Arc, who had the most aura of anyone at Beacon. The ultimate defense, that was one of the qualities Mercer possessed.

"Well, Mr. K-Knight... you have the most aura I have ever seen as well as sensational control, excellent job," Goodwitch managed to get out without stuttering much. Within a few seconds the bell rang signaling the end of class. "Well, you are all dismissed, don't go causing trouble," the teacher scolded. The students, including RWBY and JNPR, left the room. Only Mercer, still in his own thoughts, remained along with the blonde teacher.

Goodwitch's lime green eyes were trained on Mercer. He was so deep in thought that he didn't notice that class had ended. She began to walk over to the warrior with a plan to bring him back to reality. What the blonde didn't anticipate was for her legs to give out from under her. The sorceress had used up most of her strength to remain standing during Mercer's aura demonstration. By the time she realized she was falling, it was too late to prevent the fall. She closed her eyes and waited for the impact against the floor.

But it never came.

The next thing Goodwitch knew she had made contact with something solid. But it wasn't the floor, she was still in a vertical position, just at an angle. What she had fallen into was firm, slightly cold, smelled like lavender...

And was breathing.

Goodwitch's eyes shot open to find herself staring at a black suit jacket. For about a minute she just froze, not moving, not blinking. Eventually her eyes began to travel up the magnificent chest she had her head and hands on to find a pair of gorgeous slit jade eyes looking down at her.

His eyes...

Mercer's beautiful eyes.

The two green eyed individuals continued to stare at each other for three minutes in silence before Mercer spoke to the woman resting on his chest.

"Are you alright Professor," the man in black asked.

Goodwitch's face turned a deep scarlet when he spoke. She immediately pushed herself away from the the handsome man.

"I-I-I'm f-f-f-fine, M-M-Mr. Knight." The flustered teacher could barely form a coherent sentence. Her brain was scrambled from being in contact with him. Mercer had caught her before she could get close to the ground. He had pulled her close to him and held her in his arms...

His long, strong arms...

Mercer's sculpted torso...

The blonde sorceress nearly had steam coming out of her ears. Goodwitch was past the point of being embarrassed. She felt like she could die at any moment. "Thank you, M-Mercer."

The merc waved his hand. "Its alright... tends to happen to people when I use my aura... wouldn't want to hurt my favorite teacher," Mercer explained.

_"Favorite?!"_ On the outside Goodwitch was trying to remain calm, but on the inside she was jumping up and down like a schoolgirl.

Mercer adopted a dejected look. "I apologize... didn't mean to sound strange, but..." he paused, trying to find the right words while his pretty teacher waited on baited breath. "... you have treated me very well since I came here..."

_"Wait a minute,"_ Goodwitch had a strange feeling.

"What I'm trying to say is..."

The blonde realized what he was doing. _"By Dust don't do what I think you're going to do..."_

"Thank you," Mercer said, giving a small, but sincere smile.

With that action Goodwitch felt like an arrow had pierced her heart. Nobody, absolutely nobody, had seen Mercer smile before. The man himself couldn't remember the last time he did it himself. Guess Mercer was regaining his lost humanity after all.

The Viper looked down at his watch and realized that dinner was going to start soon. "Dinner is about to begin... I will see you another time Professor Goodwitch." With that Mercer departed, leaving his shocked teacher by herself.

Glynda brought a hand up to her beating heart. Her cheeks were flushed red and her glossy eyes and tears building at the rims. A sweet smile graced her luscious lips.

_"Those were killing words Mercer, you've stolen something precious to me... and I'm glad you did,"_ the blonde thought. She walked of the room with a new feeling deep in her heart.

No one knows what the future will bring, but at this moment, the was one absolute truth in the world...

Glynda Goodwitch was in love with Mercer Knight,

And she wouldn't have it any other way.

**BOOM! HOW DID YA LIKE THAT?!**

** With the end of this chapter I hereby announce the creation of the MercerxGoodwitch ship- DarkMagic!**

** Man... that was fun to write. Now I just gotta get the other six to fall for Mercer. Won't be too hard... another happens in the next chapter. **

** So Goodwitch is the first to realize that she loves Mercer. No real surprise... with the way she acted around him it was a given. So now the question is... who's next.**

** Not telling (begins to laugh evilly and gets a book thrown at him) OW what the hell Blake?**

** Blake: You deserve it, playing with people's hearts like that.**

** FS: Oh get off your high horse you porn reading ninja, you'll get your time in the future.**

** Blake: W-What? You fiend!**

** Ruby: Hey you need to apologize to Blake.**

** FS: Wha- Are all of you against me?**

** "Awkward Silence."**

** FS: _Sigh_ Fine! Blake, I'm sorry I said that to you, I'm trying to give everyone the happiness they deserve. In no way am I playing with a woman's hearts. You can't deny Mercer has good qualities about him that even you could fall for.**

** "Blake begins to blush heavily"**

** FS: HA! Called it.**

** Mercer:... enough Fallen.**

** FS: OK, I'm done, since you're all here, why don't you all help me with the outro.**

** Mercer: Very well... thank you for reading this chapter of Viper's Glare...**

** Blake: Please be sure to read, review, comment, and PM...**

** Ruby: Flamers will be forced to watch Professor Port model in a speedo.**

** FS: That's fucking disgusting!**

** Everyone: See you next time.**


	10. Chapter 8

**RWBY: Viper's Glare**

** In honor of RWBY volume 2 coming out, I bring you the eighth chapter early! Not gonna say anymore than that. **

** Let's get to it.**

** Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Chapter 8: Sun Dragon and Dark Serpent- Yang vs Mercer**

"That's enough Mr. Winchester, Mr. Arc try to keep an eye on your aura the next time your duel," Goodwitch scolded. Currently teams RWBY, JNPR, CRDL, and Mercer were in Dueling Class. Cardin, Beacon's resident asshole, just finished thrashing Jaune in one on one combat. Despite all his aura, the Arc was terrible in a fight.

Three days came and went since the Aura Control Class and Mercer had gained more popularity. Now upperclassmen girls were approaching him, but they got shy and ran off like all the rest. The guys would sometimes act tough and challenge the dark hunter, but all Mercer had to do was shoot them his cold look and they would run with their tails between their legs. Mercer remained the same, stoic and quiet, for the most part. There was one moment that Ruby walked straight into a large window and Mercer let himself smile slightly. That action, in turn, most of the women in the immediate vicinity to have hearts in their eyes at his dashing smile. In response the jade eyed man scowled more than he had before, hoping to lower the number of fangirls her had accumulated.

It didn't work.

Mercer's relationship with his neighboring teams was still the same, only Yang's flirting had increased. The blonde had become more aggressive in her pursuit of the spear-wielder. Everytime she would see him she would either jump on his back and wrap her arms around his neck or capture one of his arms in between her impressive breasts. Mercer just side and continued on his merry way, they guy had willpower like a mountain. And, much to Ruby's dismay, her older sister had also given Mercer a series of awful pet-names like "Sweetie","Babe", and the most cringe-worthy... "Mercy-Baby". But the victim of the terrible names never reacted to the strange ministrations.

Goodwitch turned back to the rest of the class and looked to see who had yet to participate. Only two were left... and they both just happened to be the best fighters among the first years... hell one of them was probably the best fighter in the whole damn academy. The sorceress knew a duel between these to could be very... destructive.

She took a deep breath and prepared for the chaos. "The last match will be... Yang Xiao Long and Mercer Knight," the professor declared with hesitance clear in her voice.

All conversations stopped and every head turned to one of the two contestants. Yang had a massive grin and was already loosening her joints. This is what she had been waiting for. Ever since that first day Yang had wanted to fight the merc, she could see that he was better than everyone, including herself. So she trained, trained harder than she ever did in the past. The blonde had been undefeated in duels since her time at Signal. But none of that would matter if she couldn't beat him. Mercer was her ultimate test. Sure she flirted with him constantly, but that was her nature. Other than Ruby, to earn Yang's respect, you had to be strong. Mercer was beyond strong, what Yang wants is for the jade eyed warrior to see her as an equal.

Mercer gazed at his blonde opponent, this fight was bound to happen whether he liked it or not. He just wish it wasn't today. The dark hunter was not in the best of health this day. Migraines have been plaguing him from the moment he woke up. Also his left eye was burning. That rarely happens... unless he was losing his grip on reality again. The... episodes from his past usually began with one of his eyes feeling like a hot branding iron was shoved into his eye socket. And to top off the list of things that made this a very bad day...

_**"Ooh... so we're fighting Blondie eh? HAHA! I wonder if we could dye that pretty gold hair red with her blood?!"**_

__His fucking instincts decided that today would be an excellent day to come out and bug the ever-loving hell out of out him.

_"Shut up,"_ Mercer commanded as he walked onto the stage. He knew if the duel dragged on for too long, his instincts would start to pour a desire for blood into his mind. The only problem in his plan to end the duel quickly is that he knows next to nothing about Yang's fighting style. The only information he has is that the blonde is a close-range brawler that has a aggressive offense and prefers to dodge rather than defend. Other than that, he has no idea what form of close-range combat she uses. He will have to dance around in order to analyze her first before going in for the finishing blow.

Ruby stood off to the side with her other teammates and JNPR. Any other occasion she'd be cheering for both her sister and her friend. But something was seriously wrong. Not with Yang, but with Mercer. The whole day he seemed to have an air of irritation around him. There were also moments when the hooded girl caught him clutching the side of his head when he thought no one was looking.

_"I have a really bad feeling about this,"_ Ruby thought, though at this point there was nothing she could do except hope no one would be seriously hurt.

When both Yang and Mercer were standing across from each other, the screen above the stage flashed and both of their pictures and aura gauges were up.

Goodwitch stepped on to the stage and cleared her throat. "You two know the rules: continue to fight until your aura reaches red or your weapon is knocked out of the arena. I want a fair, clean fight you two,' the professor stressed, earning a nod from the combatants. "Good... now prepare yourselves."

When the older blonde returned to the sidelines, Mercer pulled out Empty Promise and took a relaxed stance. Yang engaged Ember Cecilia while taking a boxing stance with her knees bent and her arms in front of her face. With Mercer's speed and unholy strength, the golden brawler would be foolish to not take this fight seriously from the start.

"You ready for me, Mercy-Baby," the well-endowed young woman asked the merc with a sultry tone. The response was a blank stare from Mercer, annoyed groans from RWB and JNPR, and a jealous and pouting expression from Goodwitch.

_**"This one has a mouth on her... let's tear out her tongue,"**_ Mercer's instincts cackled out like a psychopath.

_"Quiet,"_ Mercer retorted.

_**"Hey, it was just a suggestion, don't get all pissy Viper."**_

Goodwitch raised her hand, ready to start the match. _"Be careful Mercer,"_ she prayed to herself.

"Begin!"

As soon as the sorceress had brought her hand down, Yang broke out into a dash. Within a few seconds the blonde was in front of Mercer swinging a right hook. The dark hunter had already seen the trajectory of the punch and caught it with his free hand. Yang just continued to grin and pulled back to attempt an uppercut, which he just leaned back to avoid. The brawler continued her relentless assault Mercer for two straight minutes. The spear-wielder simply dodged her strikes, eyes darting around her form trying to read her movements. The blonde was pouring all her power into every punch... but he still dodged. Mercer truly did live up to his name Viper, much like a snake, his body would glide gracefully against attacks and his reaction time was incredible.

_"Hate to disappoint Babe, but I think I'll be ending this little dance of ours now,"_ Yang thought as she prepared for a extra strong right cross.

That was her mistake.

Yang had just given Mercer the perfect chance to go on the offensive. The merc moved to the side and caught her wrist. Before she could attack or free herself Mercer landed a kick to her left side, causing her to stumble. The jade and black warrior wasted no in delivering a series of blinding fast slashes and stabs from Empty Promise to his opponent. Mercer finished the volley of strikes with another kick, this time to Yang's abdomen, which in turn caused her to skid back.

Even though she was now covered in many small cuts along with the two large bruises from his kicks, Yang was enjoying herself. She breath was ragged and her body was exhausted, but she was having the time of her life. She looked to see that his one attack sequence had taken out a third of her aura. The blonde was right about him, about everything. Mercer was perfection. Never had she fought someone who was so much better than her. The merc hadn't even broken a sweat. Her grin couldn't help but break into a joyous smile. Her determination to reach him had just gotten even more deep.

Yang's lilac eyes stared deep into Mercer's shining jade ones and found what she was looking for. The blonde could see that he was taking this fight seriously and that made her heart beat faster. Her flirtatious side was starting to imagine very intimate and... scandalous, situations she could be in with the tall, dark, and absolutely gorgeous man. Yang shook her head thoroughly. Now was not the time to think like that, she needed to focus on the fight. But later...

"Well Sweetie, I have to admit, your very... very..." Yang had started to speak to Mercer before her voice started to fade out. Her eyes had become covered by her long golden hair and her whole body was shaking. Mercer adopted a confused expression. He'd never seen the blonde like this. The merc turned over to Yang's team to see a unusual sight. All three of her teammates as well as the members of team JNPR had faces of shock and horror. He then noticed that all their eyes were trained on one spot on the stage. Mercer followed their gazes to see a few strands of long blonde hair were laying a few feet from him. His gaze began to shift to his dueling opponent had began to have small flames come off her body.

"You... you..."

Yang began to repeat herself before it finally clicked in Mercer's mind. He remembered something Yang had once told him as they walked to class one day.

**Flashback**

Yang had just found her new favorite thing, Mercer walking down the hallway to class. Wasting no time, she darted forward and trapped his right arm in between her "girls", hoping to rile up a reaction out of the ever-stoic warrior.

"Hello Yang..." he deadpanned, obviously not affected by her feminine assets.

Yang put on a fake look of being upset. "Aw Mercer... don't you feel... _good _right now," she purred as she pressed her arms closer to him, causing her soft breasts to squish against his muscular arm.

"I feel the same as always..."

The blonde just sighed in frustration and let go of his arm. She couldn't understand how Mercer had the willpower to resist having his arm sandwiched between a woman's breasts. And just not any pair of breasts, HER breasts. Little did she know that the jade eyed man had many female contractors in his mercenary years who had tried to seduce him with that exact same technique. Mercer couldn't understand why women were so drawn to him. He was blind to the fact the he is, in all respective purposes, the most physically attractive man in all of the Four Kingdoms. The merc was unable to recognize human affection, with a past like his... you couldn't blame him.

Yang just continued to walk beside Mercer when she pulled out a hairbrush from dust knows where. As they walked she began to comb her long golden locks. Yang's hair was her greatest treasure, those blonde locks were what defined her.

Mercer looked to see what his companion was doing. "You take good care of your hair," he said with slight interest.

Yang gave him a sweet smile. "You bet I do. I'd kill someone if they messed with my hair, no exceptions."

**Flashback End**

When Mercer realized what he had done, the worst thing happened. His eye and head began to pulse in unimaginable pain. It was so bad that he couldn't move. At this moment... Mercer was defenseless. The merc grabbed his head and hoped the pain would reside.

Ruby noticed her friend's sudden action. Her bad premonition had just come true. The scarlet clad girl snapped her head over to her sister, who's anger had reached its boiling point.

**"YOU MONSTER!"** Yang screamed as her semblance was released. Her hair caught fire and those lilac eyes had changed to an angry red. The next moment the enraged Yang took off towards the immobilized Mercer with a flaming fist cocked back.

"YANG WAIT, SOMETHINGS WRONG WITH MERCER," Ruby yelled at her older sister, but it was too late. By the time her words reached the two fighters, Yang's punch had connected with Mercer's face.

Mercer could feel the bones in his face begin to crack as Yang pushed harder with her attack. With his mind distracted by the pain inside his head. He could feel her slowly pushing him backwards, he was too off balanced by his distraction. The next thing Mercer knew, he was off his feet and crashing through a nearby wall.

By the time Yang had come to her senses, the sound of Empty Promise hitting the ground rang in her ears. She looked to see that Mercer was firmly embedded in the wall. A sense of dread and worry began to wash over the blonde. She hadn't mean to go full force behind the punch.

Goodwitch was holding her mouth closed to keep from screaming. There was Mercer, the man she came to adore, stuck in the wall, not moving.

Ruby was mortified at what had just happened. Mercer was most likely seriously hurt. But she, and no one else, could do a thing. The merc's spear was still in the arena, and to everyone's surprise, Mercer aura had only lost an eighth of its power.

Suddenly the air became cold. All eyes turned to see that Mercer's tattoos had began to glow green like in the Aura Control Class. In a flash of black and jade, Mercer was standing in front of Yang, eyes glowing and an emotionless face. In that split second his speed had surpassed Ruby's, the fastest student at Beacon. Mercer was already fast, but this speed was past breaking the sound barrier, as shown by the air ring he left behind by the wall.

Yang could only stare into Mercer's cold air. She was paralyzed in absolute fear. He had just taken a punch at her max power enhanced by her flames... and got back up. Even more terrifying, he had just suddenly appeared in front of her. When she looked up at his face, all the color drained from her face. Mercer's eyes were glowing with a almost evil intensity. His gaze was paralyzing, it was like looking into the face of the Grim Reaper.

To add to the inhuman qualities Mercer had adopted, a trail of blood had formed at the corner of his mouth and was falling down his face.

Only his blood wasn't red... it was pitch black.

Mercer was using all his willpower to hold himself back. Yang's strike had awaken his fight or flight senses and was calling for him to fight back.

Kill.

Destroy.

Annihilate.

Those words kept repeating in his head. But he wouldn't listen to it. He caused the attack and he deserved it. He wouldn't... kill Yang to satisfy his instinct's desires for blood.

**_"WHAT ARE YOU DOING VIPER?! KILL HER! SHE TRIED TO KILL YOU, FIGHT BACK!"_**

The voice yelled for death, but Mercer refused.

_"I will not kill... my... friend... get lost,"_ Mercer retorted, sending the voice back into his subconscious. His breath eased and his eyes and tattoos stopped glowing, but Yang remained frozen. _"I've scared her to death..."_ The merc felt guilt wash into his soul at the sight of the blonde. Acting on emotion, Mercer gently raised his hand and placed it on the back of Yang's head. He felt bad when she flinched at his touch, but he steeled his resolve and continued. The merc pushed her head forward softly until her forehead was pressing against his, which he had lowered to her eye level.

When Mercer's head touched hers, Yang's mind went blank. She inhaled his lavender scent and felt his hot breath push against her. There was nothing that could compare to this moment. When she looked into his eyes, now back to their normal gem like glow. But what came next went straight to her soul.

In a soft and remorseful tone, Mercer conveyed his words. "I'm sorry... I shouldn't have scared you... or cut your long beautiful hair, that was my last thought. I never want to do that to you again Yang... you're too pretty to have that terrified face," he poured his heartfelt thoughts out to her.

There was nothing that could be done about the insane blush that flushed across Yang's face. Mercer had just poured his heart out to her and she couldn't help the tight feeling that came into her soul. Then she said two words those around them thought they would never hear the unstoppable Yang Xiao Long say.

"I forfeit."

Nobody could say anything at Yang's statement, they were too stunned. One from Mercer coming back from that major blow. Two, the sincere (and quite romantic) apology the merc offered the blonde. And third, the fact that Yang, who had never lost or given up, forfeited a match.

Goodwitch pulled out of her stupor and smiled lightly. She wasn't mad or jealous, the bleach blonde was happy that Mercer had a kind and compassionate side hidden under his could exterior. "The winner is Mercer Knight," she declared.

Mercer backed away and and grabbed his weapon before starting towards the door. He gave one last look to his former opponent. "Well done Yang... you are very skilled," Mercer complemented before leaving the room.

Yang stood their while her team and friends surrounded her, asking a million questions. But she could hear any of them. The blonde's focus was still on Mercer. She felt her cheeks heat up and her heart begin to race. _"Just you wait Mercer Knight, I'll surpass you and then... I make you love me like I do you,"_ Yang said to herself, content at where her affections lie.

**Men's Restrooms**

Mercer was able to make it to the restrooms before his head began to pound again. In truth the damage Yang caused had healed before he had finished his apology. But his head was now throbbing even more violently than before. Mercer stumbled over to a sink and looked into the mirror, and what looked back at him pushed a chill down his spine.

Another trial of black blood was found on his face. Only this one was coming out of his left eye like a stream of tears. The scelera of his left eye had veins of black in them, signaling that the Corruption had spread. Seconds later the his eye returned to normal.

The merc scowled at his appearance before washing away the blood and heading back to his dorm, wanting to relax and forget about his near loss of control.

** And with that, the ship TaintedFire is born.**

** That was time consuming to throw out, but oh so worth it.**

** As you can see, Yang now has a deep love for Mercer just like Goodwitch... and there's more to come.**

** Also you saw a bit of Mercer losing control, all I'll say about that is expect it to get a lot worse before it gets better.**

** As usual, read, review, comment, and PM.**

** Later.**


	11. Chapter 9

**RWBY: Viper's Glare**

** Hello people of the Internet, FallenSymphony963 is back early... again. I thought after putting up chapter 8 I'd take a few days to relax. But then my brain said "fuck that, you're writing more"... and here we are. Now this chapter doesn't involve a romance addition per say. This chapter will be the start of a friendship between Mercer and someone which will later become a romance. This is also where something a lot of you have asked about happens, so you can enjoy that moment with a sadistic grin on your faces.**

** No use in waiting longer, let the madness begin.**

** Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mercer.**

**Chapter 9: Protector **

Mercer wanted nothing more than to rest after this day. His spar with Yang and him losing control had taken its toll. He couldn't stand how he nearly went berserk, the merc might have murdered the blonde in front of everyone. His control was slipping, and he had no idea how much longer he'd be in control. Would he leave before he snapped? Or would stay and risk the lives of the ones he come to enjoy being around. These few weeks at Beacon had been so life changing for him. Mercer finally had peace... but could it last? His thoughts were broken when a familiar head of red hair came into sight just ahead.

Pyrrha was distraught with this day. She had tried to console Jaune about his lack of combat skills, but it had backfired. The blonde had revealed that he had gotten into Beacon on fake transcripts. When she offered to help him with training, he yelled at her and said he didn't need her help. The spartan was hurt at his words. Since the first day she had wanted to be near Jaune, first just because she thought he was fun to be around then she began to love him. Pyrrha didn't know what to do, she wanted things to be normal again. Her turmoil was broken when she saw a tall dark dressed figure that she recognized.

"Hello Mercer," Pyrrha said, trying to mask her emotional distress.

"Pyrrha..." the merc responded.

"Are you doing alright, Yang hit you pretty hard?"

"I'm fine... heal quickly."

Pyrrha gave a small look of relief, the jade eyed man had become a good friend in these few weeks. "That's good."

The two held a awkward silence until the redhead asked a sudden question.

"Mercer... what do when someone you care about keeps secrets from you," she questioned, a look of desperation on her face.

Mercer narrowed his eyes at this. This subject was not something you brought up on a daily basis. Something was wrong. "You trust them... everyone is entitled to their own personal skeletons, there are somethings in this world that are better off kept secret," was the dark hunter's answer.

The redhead lowered her head, contemplating the snake like warrior's response.

"This is about Jaune, isn't it?"

Pyrrha's head shot back up in surprise. She stayed silent, but the look on her face gave Mercer the answer he was expecting.

The merc walked over and leaned against the nearby wall, trying to formulate a appropriate response. "... I won't ask what happened, but hear me when I say this... you care for Jaune, a lot more than he knows..."

Pyrrha turned a shade of red relatively close to her hair having her crush discovered by Mercer.

Mercer just shook his head and continued. "Whatever you discovered... accept it. He's still the same man you care for, don't let this destroy the relationship you two have made. How you salvage this is up to you and him," the spear-wielder finished, then began to head back to the dorms.

Mercer's words rang in Pyrrha's mind. He was right, she couldn't give up so easily. She would wait until things had calmed down and then would reconcile with Jaune. "Thank you Mercer," she whispered and then followed him back to the dorm wing.

**A Week Later**

Things had not gotten better in a week's time. Jaune had started to spend time with Cardin and his team while avoiding his team and friends. Pyrrha was depressed most of the time now. Mercer figured that whatever secret about Jaune she had figured out, Cardin had also discovered it and was now blackmailing him. Of course Mercer could end this easily, but that would end with a dead asshole and a upset Jaune. So the merc decided he'd refrain from interfering with this matter.

Tomorrow they were all taking a trip to Forever Fall Forest and the Viper had a unusual feeling about the trip. Right now Mercer was walking back from the library after one of his late-night reading sessions. He would normally read in his room but the girls of RWBY next door made a lot of noise in the evening. As he tuned the corner he found Ruby comforting Jaune. The merc stayed back and listened to the young girl give the Arc very good advice. When Ruby returned to her dorm Jaune received a message on his scroll. Mercer was too far away to hear the subject or the sender's voice but judging by the exasperated sigh Jaune released he could guess it was from Cardin. As Jaune walked by the corner, Mercer's hand shot out and grabbed the blonde before spinning him around and slamming him against the wall. When Jaune recovered from the hit he found a pair of pissed off slit jade eyes burrowing deep into his dark blue ones.

"Ow... what the hell Mercer," Jaune asked, but his answer was getting pushed further into the wall.

Mercer's tone was extremely calm, but colder than the deepest winter. "You're hurting a lot of people who care about you with the way your acting Jaune, you need to man up now."

The merc's statement just angered the Arc. "This is none of your business Mercer. I know what I'm doing and I don't need you patronizing me. You don't know me and I don't need the top student to lecture me. You are better than everyone else here, you proved that when you beat Yang! I have been working my hardest to get better while you stay miles above everyone else. It's not fair, you don't deserve your pow-ACKK," Jaune tried to continue before Mercer's hand latched onto his neck.

Mercer's face contorted into one of rage. "Listen well Jaune Arc... this IS my business because the people you are hurting are MY FRIENDS! You're right that I don't know you but don't compare yourself to me. I went through HELL to get like this and I've lived alone without anyone for more than TEN years because of it. I had to get strong just to survive, don't say I don't deserve my power. I never wanted it but I wouldn't be here without it. **So shut your fucking mouth and pull your head out of your ass. Do not speak to me again until you have learned from your mistakes**," Mercer's last words were filled with the most hatred Jaune had ever seen. The merc left the blonde on the floor and stormed off to his room, not wanting to deal with the trash that Jaune Arc had become.

**Next Day: Forever Fall **

Professor Goodwitch led the group through the forest with Mercer beside her. The other students walked behind them with RWBY first, JNPR minus Jaune next, and CRDL with Jaune in the back. None of the students had tried to speak to Mercer yet, he was unapproachable today. The first time they saw the merc they knew to keep their distance. His normal emotionless face was now a deep angry scowl. Even his fangirls had been keeping their distance.

"Hurry and collect the sap students so you can return to Professor Peach and deliver the jars," Goodwitch said, the others obeyed and scattered around the area. The sorceress happened to see Mercer head off on his own so she decided to follow him. When she had caught up to the merc he was running his hand over a large tree. The only guess she had was that Mercer was trying to find the softest spot on the tree to extract the sap from. Paying no attention to the somewhat dirty thoughts involving Mercer's hands, Goodwitch walked up to her favorite student and secret love.

"Are you alright Mercer... you seem upset," the blonde asked gently. Ever since that day in the Aura Control Class, Goodwitch had started calling him by his first name. He was the only one she did that to, but Mercer paid no mind to it.

The dark warrior found a soft spot on the tree before stabbing the extraction faucet into the tree before turning to the teacher. "I'm fine Professor, just a little irritated with a associate of mine," he said, turning the handle on the faucet and filling a jar with sap. "Someone in the class decided to compare my life to theirs and make a comment about how I don't deserve my abilities."

Goodwitch stiffened at his answer. Though on the inside she was furious. No one should talk to her Mercer that way. His life was cruel and should not be mocked.

Seeing her rigid posture, Mercer had an idea pop in his head. "Judging by your reaction I'd have to say that you have read the file on me that Ozpin has," the merc stated, and when her eyes went wide her knew he hit the nail on the head. "Surprised? Don't be. I know how much info the headmaster can collect, even the kind that should stay hidden. I know who and what I am, and that doesn't change anything. I've done a lot of bad things and killed a lot of people, but nothing will repent me of my sins. And he had the audacity to say that my powers were handed to me on a silver platter? That is what set me off, my life was a living hell and now I'm paying for it."

Goodwitch couldn't say anything in response. She had no idea that Mercer took life in such a simple viewpoint. This ideal was the product of him being exposed to the worst of the world, and it broke her heart.

"Mercer, I..."

Goodwitch couldn't finish her statement before a panting Yang burst into view.

"Professor... Ursa... Jaune and Cardin...help," the younger blonde manage to get out.

Goodwitch turned to Mercer who gave a hand wave that said "go." She knew that there was nothing in this forest that could hurt Mercer, so she turned back to Yang and the two rushed to the battle.

By the time Goodwitch and Yang had arrived at the clearing where the Ursa appeared, Jaune had already decapitated the Grimm and put Cardin in his place. Pyrrha, Ruby, and Weiss had also come out of their hiding place to meet the others.

"Well... I don't think anything else can be said other than well done Mr. Arc," Goodwitch complemented, impressed that the young man could kill such a large Ursa in single combat. 

"Yeah, good job Jaune," Ruby cheered. Jaune smiled weakly as his friends praised him, despite how he had been treating them.

The sorceress adjusted her glasses and addressed the students. "By the looks of it enough sap has been collected so I believe it is time to return to Beacon," her statement was answered by the collective nodding of heads from the students.

What she and the others didn't expect was for another large Ursa to burst through the treeline and rush towards them. They didn't have anytime to react to the new threat.

Luckily they wouldn't need to.

_BANG!_

The sound of a high caliber bullet being fired followed by the Ursa's head exploding in a mess of blood and brain matter took care of that problem.

The gunshot shocked everyone and caused them to jump. They followed from the dead Grimm over to the treeline were Mercer was standing, Empty Promise drawn in its rifle form with the barrels smoking. Mercer briefly gave Jaune a cold stare before turning around and heading back to Beacon.

**The Day After**

Teams RWBY and JNPR, now whole again, were sitting at table in the dining hall. The night before Jaune had begged for Pyrrha's forgiveness and asked her to help him train. She accepted both the apology and the offer to help him get in better shape. Now he had just finished apologizing to the rest of his team and RWBY as well as telling them the whole story, from Cardin finding out to what he had said to Mercer and the events of Forever Fall.

"We forgive you for what you did Jaune and don't worry about it so much," Ruby said kindly, followed by nods from the others. "But there is one person you need to plead forgiveness from, and he's on his way over here now."

Jaune swallowed nervously as Mercer took a seat between Ruby and Yang before beginning to cut his steak dinner. Nothing would be right until Jaune made thing right with the merc, his angry side was not fun to be around.

Jaune steeled himself and prepared for the daunting task of asking one of the most dangerous people in Remnant to forgive him. "Mercer..." he started, causing the jade eyed man to look up at him with a cold glare. The Arc flinched as if he was going to back down, but Pyrrha's warm hand grasping his returned his resolve. "I am so sorry for what I said to you. I had no right to patronize you for trying to help me. I was too pig-headed to see that you were trying to get me to act like a hunter instead of fleeing like a coward. Again... I'm sorry, I hope that you can call me a friend again," he finished with his head bowed slightly.

"..."

Mercer said nothing and continued to glare at Jaune, the others were starting to get uncomfortable with his looks. Eventually the merc let out a sigh and relented his stern look.

You're forgiven... don't act like a dick again," was all Mercer said before going back to eating. The others relaxed and put smiles on their faces. All was peaceful again.

But that peace would be shattered.

"Please stop, that hurts..."

A weak cry from behind RWBY and Mercer caught the table's attention. All but Mercer turned to see who was in such pain. And what they saw made their blood boil.

It was team CRDL teasing a Faunus girl. More specifically it was Cardin pulling on her rabbit ears while his team laughed.

Said Faunus girl was Velvet Scarlatina, a sweet and innocent girl that was a common target for racist. She was very quite and shy, but was also very pretty and had a soothing voice that could calm a storm. Her team wasn't around much so Velvet was left on her own at the mercy of her tormentors.

"Ha, I still don't get why they let freaks like you into Beacon, you're just animals," Cardin taunted, pulling harder on her ears.

Velvet began to cry, which caused team CRDL to laugh more. "Why are you always doing this to me... what did I do to deserve this. Was it because I was born like this? I don't understand." Her sobbing got louder as her misery increased.

The people sitting with Mercer watched in disgusted at what they saw. They wanted to help the poor girl, but they didn't want to lower themselves to Cardin's level.

But there was one who would go to any means to ease Velvet's pain.

Mercer didn't dare look with his friends, it would cause him to do something he would regret. As Velvet's cries of sorrow got louder, Mercer grit his teeth more. This was the same as back then... a situation like this was the same as the day the merc began to take the path of the Viper.

Velvet's wails... were the same as a little Faunus girl he saved as a child. Not the same person, but the same despair. Mercer has always believed in equal rights, and now he would show where he stands.

He would be a protector once more.

Velvet's crying was suddenly overpowered by Cardin's scream of pain. He let go of her ears and she fell back onto the ground. The rabbit girl wiped away some of her tears to see her tormentor standing and clutching his arm, which had a steak knife embedded deep into his forearm.

Nobody at the RWBY and JNPR knew what happened other than one moment Velvet had been crying and the next Cardin was screaming. Then they noticed that the knife had came from their direction. When they focused again they found that the one who threw the knife... was Mercer. The jade eyed man had a look of cold fury directed at Cardin. The next moment he got up and began to walk towards them.

Cardin also noticed who threw a knife into his arm. He turned to his three teammates, still in shock like most of the dining hall. "What are you three standing there for?! Get that fucker," he yelled, and his team rushed the Viper.

Bad move.

The first to go down was Sky, he came straight at Mercer intending to hit him. But the merc feinted to the side before striking the gray haired asshole with a punch to the face. Mercer's already demon strength was amplified by the fact that he wore two rings on each hand. Sky was shot backwards into a table, most of the bones in his face broken in multiple ways. Dove was next. He tried to attack Mercer from the side while he was distracted, but Mercer moved to the side and kicked him in the leg with so much force that his femur broke in two and burst through the skin and muscles of his leg. When Dove hit the ground, Mercer dashed at Russel. The mohawk was too shocked to react and Mercer brought a left chop down on his shoulder. Russel's cries of pain were evidence enough that the merc had shattered his shoulder blade and tore through the tendons.

After his team went down, Cardin tried his own hand at fighting Mercer. He pulled the steak knife out of his arm and rushed Mercer. The jade eyed man simply caught the hand by the wrist and broke it. Cardin screamed and dropped the knife before going to his knees. The asshole looked up to see Mercer standing over him, his face resembling one of an enraged demon. The next thing Cardin knew the merc had him by the neck and was forcing him to look at the face of the man who beat him and his team.

"I hate racists with a passion," Mercer began, closing his eyes. "Its because of people like you that the world will forever be in strife. You're just as bad as the Grimm. So now... I'll make sure you never bother another person again," his tattoos glowed jade green and his aura skyrocketed. Then Mercer snapped his eyes open, and those around could see that his eyes were a blank jade color. His pupils and iris were gone and they looked like they were on fire. He looked evil and if anyone was close enough, they could see that Cardin's eyes had a similar green glow to them.

**"Nightmare."**

That was the word people heard Mercer say. With that one word, the hall went silent.

Until Cardin began to scream bloody murder.

**Cardin's Mindscape**

Cardin opened his eyes to find himself in a empty black and white world. There was nothing there, no people, no objects... only him.

"Where am I," he asked.

"We're inside your head, if you want to get technical, we're inside your subconscious which is under my control," a voice called out behind him.

When Cardin turned he came face to face with the last person he wanted to see.

Mercer Knight.

"What did you do freak," Cardin demanded, still think he could do something against the merc.

"Shut it, you're not in control here I am," Mercer spat out, anger evident in his voice. "All you need to know is that you will now experience the worst pain in your miserable life. And when its over, you will **NEVER** torment another person again," with that declaration, Mercer snapped his fingers.

And all hell came down on Cardin Winchester.

The ground below Cardin's feet began to take the form of quicksand, dragging the victim down. Within seconds the ground solidified again and the bully was trapped. Suddenly the temperature of the blank world began to increase. Cardin looked to the sky, and all his hope faded away.

A giant ball of fire was slowly descending down towards him. Cardin quickly looked to Mercer, only to find him fading away. The merc gave him no pity before disappearing. All Cardin could do was scream as he was burned to ash in his own mind.

**Reality**

Two minutes.

That is how long Cardin has been screaming.

Whatever Mercer used on him was like torture. No one could say or do anything. What could they do? Mercer, even without his spear, was a master fighter. They couldn't do anything while he had Cardin, whatever he was doing connected them.

"What did Mercer do," Jaune asked, secretly glad he did not piss the merc of this bad.

"He is using his semblance right now."

The group turned to see Ozpin standing behind them, sipping his coffee.

Ruby panicked. "H-Headmaster, Mercer was..."

"I know Miss. Rose, I've been watching from the security cameras," the gray haired man took a sip of his coffee. "Mr. Knight will not be punished for this. I sincerely hope that this incident will cut down the racial bullying here at Beacon. The threat of sending Mercer after them sounds good wouldn't you say?"

_"You're evil,"_ the two teams thought in conjunction.

"Wait... you said that this is his semblance," Pyrrha asked.

"You are correct Miss. Nikos, Mr. Knight's semblance is known as Nightmare. It allows him to take control of someone's subconscious and mentally destroy them. As you can guess, this power is ocular and requires direct eye contact. Plus the intensity of the attacks is only limited by Mr. Knight's creativity."

RWBY and JNPR could only pale at the power of the stoic friend. He could kill someone just by looking at them.

Ozpin saw their worry and put it to rest. "You all have no need to be afraid. Mercer would never use his semblance on any of you. All of you are the first people to treat him like he exist, Mr. Knight would never jeopardize the bonds he made with you."

The Headmaster's statement eased their worries. Cardin's screams began to die down, Mercer's eyes returned to normal and his tattoos stopped glowing. He dropped the asshole, now in a small coma, and went over to Velvet. The bunny girl was shivering and had her eyes closed. She thought the jade eyed man was going to pick up where Cardin and his thugs stopped. Was she didn't expect was a gentle hand to start rubbing her head. Velvet opened her eyes to find Mercer gently rubbing her head. His face was relaxed and peaceful. It was at this moment that Velvet got a chance to look at his eyes. They were a beautiful jade green that glowed slightly.

"Are you alright," Mercer asked, his tone much softer than before. The rabbit girl could feel the sincere emotions in his words. She knew at this moment that he wouldn't hurt her.

"I'm fine... why did you 'sniff ' help me," she asked in a quiet voice.

"Because I don't believe that people should be judged by their race. You are a person... same as me," Mercer answered with conviction.

Mercer's kindness touched Velvet deep in her heart. She couldn't help but start crying in joy at someone caring about her as a person. She hugged onto Mercer and sobbed into his stone-like chest. Eventually she calmed down and looked back up at her savior, a wonderful smile on her face.

"Thank you..."

"Mercer, call me Mercer."

She stood up and brushed herself off, Mercer soon followed. "Thank you so much Mercer, it means a lot to me that you helped me," Velvet said.

Mercer shook his head. "You don't need to thank me, and if someone starts bothering you again, let me know," the merc declared.

Velvet nodded quickly and started out the door. She was much happier than she'd ever been. In one day she was saved from her tormenting, gained a protector, and most of all... made a great friend.

Mercer returned to the table his friends were at. He gave Ozpin a nod and the headmaster went to take care of the incapacitated team. As Mercer sat down he noticed that the others were staring at him.

"What?"

"That was a good thing you did Mercer," Ruby said with a smile.

"You did a very noble thing," Blake complemented.

"You kicked ass," Nora and Yang yelled.

"Impressive," Ren stated.

"While on the sadistic side, I'm glad you put those jerks in their place," Weiss declared.

"I'm glad you are so compassionate to others," was Pyrrha's response.

"Remind me never to piss you off," Jaune croaked, earning a laugh from the others.

Mercer allowed a small smile at his friends' antics, but he was deep in thought. Today was so similar to the day his life went to hell, and the merc would spend the rest of the night mulling over what kind of man he was.

Was he a Protector?

Or a Destroyer?

**And that concludes the longest chapter to date. But damn it was fun.**

**A lot of you have been asking when Mercer would kick the shit out of Cardin, well I decided to take it a step further.**

**We also got a glimpse into Mercer's morals and thought process. He sees the world in shade of gray, he understands what he's done and regrets nothing.**

**Velvet also got some screen time here. Did you honestly think I would not bring up the RWBY fandom's most loved character? I was just waiting for the right time. She won't fall for Mercer YET... but it will happen show don't worry all my future BlackRabbit (MercerxVelvet), your time will come.**

** Anyway thanks for reading and don't forget to review, comment, and PM. Don't be shy, I love to hear from you all.**

** Until next time.**


	12. Chapter 10

**RWBY: Viper's Glare**

** Hello people, time for more Viper's Glare. Now we're gonna see the cannon plot progress in this chapter with Mercer implemented into it. Also while its on my mind, I've decided (with heavy persuasion from one of you loyal readers (cough Mr. Green37 cough)) to implement small crossovers into VG. It won't be anything too major, just a few characters that most likely will not live past their introduction, so no worries.**

** Hope you enjoy! Yang, care to do the disclaimer today?**

** Yang: Sure! FS does not own anything in this fic but that Adonis Mercer, RWBY and all it properties belong to Monty Oum and Roosterteeth.**

** On with the show.**

**Chapter 10: Demon at Her Side**

**Vale Streets**

Mercer followed team RWBY through Vale as they examined the decorations and festive items being placed around town. At the end of the year was the Vytal Festival and Vytal Tournament which they were all participating in. As they traveled down the streets, the merc couldn't help but reminisce about the years he lived in the Vale orphanage. Despite only being there for two years, Mercer grew attached to the place so much that most of the Lien he made during his mercenary work was sent there to fund the place. Every once in a while he would make a brief visit there and check on things, being a orphanage that catered to human and Faunus children, it was a regular target for racists.

_"I should stop by before the Festival starts, see how they are all doing,"_ Mercer thought, he wanted to see the children once again. No one would expect that the vicious mercenary Viper was quite taken with children. He dreaded if the fangirls at Beacon ever found out about this soft side of his, he'd never get rid of them then. Currently Weiss was going on on about the cultural significance of the Festival, but Mercer was too deep in thought to listen to her explanation.

"You just want to spy on the competition from Atlas," Yang snickered, calling out the Schnee's real intentions.

"What? I do not, its observation, not spying," Weiss retorted.

"Hey, what's going on over there," Ruby cut in, motioning to police by a building.

The five Beacon students turned the corner to find crime scene tape around a Dust Store. The windows were broken and from what they could see the inside was ransacked.

"That's the third Dust shop this week," one detective said.

"What could the White Fang need with all this dust," the second detective questioned.

"Beats me."

Mercer narrowed his eyes at this crime. Having experienced White Fang tactics himself, the merc found this to be out of character for the extremist group. Someone else was responsible for them acting like this, and that puzzled the jade eyed man.

"Hmph, the White Fang... what a bunch of degenerates, but what you expect from the Faunus," Weiss scoffed.

"Excuse me," Blake questioned with a venom laced tone.

Weiss stood her ground against her teammate. "You heard me, the Faunus are nothing but criminals."

"Not all Faunus are criminals," the amber eyed woman countered.

"Stop that Faunus!"

The group turned to see the same two detectives from earlier chasing a young man with blonde hair and a monkey tail. When he passed the five students he quickly winked at Blake, but the black themed woman didn't react to the show of affection.

"Quick! We have to observe him," the Schnee heiress yelled before darting after the monkey Faunus. Her three teammates took off after her instantly. Mercer stood there for a second before letting out a sigh and walking in his comrades' direction. The merc already knew his friends would not catch the blonde young man, so he saw no use in wasting energy in the chase.

When Mercer walked around the corner he found that Weiss had run into a girl with orange hair with a pink bow on her head.

"Sorry about that," Weiss said, though it was obvious by her tone she didn't really care.

"Its alright," the girl said.

Even after Weiss had gotten back on her feet, the other girl was still lying on the ground. Eventually it became uncomfortable with her just laying on the ground, staring up at them.

"Um, are you going to get up," Ruby asked.

The girl just stared at them. "That would be splendid," the ginger girl declared in a really happy tone before jumping back up on her feet. "Hello, I'm Penny."

Ruby adopted a small, but awkward, smile. "Hey Penny, I'm Ruby, this is my sister Yang, my teammates Blake and Weiss, and our friend Mercer," the cloaked girl said, motioning to each person she called out.

"Salutations," Penny proclaimed cheerfully, even Mercer was disturbed by how... happy this girl was.

"Well, we have to find that Faunus," Weiss cut in before walking away. Blake, Yang, and Mercer followed the white haired woman first, Ruby was the last to walk away, but not before saying goodbye to the strange orange haired girl.

"See you later friend," Ruby said before running after her team and dark dressed male friend.

Once the five had made some distance from Penny, Weiss turned to the others and spoke. "That girl was strange," she said, but when she turned forward again she came face to face with said strange girl right in front of her. The Schnee heiress then preceded to point back and forth between where Penny was now and where they had meet her.

"What did you call me," Penny asked in what seemed to be surprised tone.

"I didn't say..."

"Not you..." the ginger said, cutting Weiss off. She then walked up to Ruby. "YOU, what did you call me?"

Ruby seemed to shrink slightly. "Um... friend," she squeaked out.

"Did you really mean it," Penny questioned, her voice seemed desperate. Ruby looked over her shoulder to see her team shaking their heads quickly. When she looked at Mercer she found him reading a book he must have been carrying.

"...yes," Ruby answered, causing the three girls to fall on their faces, Mercer didn't do anything but keep reading.

"Sensational! We can have sleepovers, paint each others nails, go shopping, and talk about cute boys..." Penny cut herself of and went over and grab Mercer before pulling him over to Ruby. "Here's a cute boy."

Ruby couldn't help but blush at Penny's actions. Mercer remained stonefaced before Yang drag him over to her and latched onto his arm. The blonde had a jealous pout and whispered "mine" under her breath.

"Well it seems we lost that no good Faunus," Weiss said. But her statement only reignited Blake's anger.

**Beacon**

Weiss and Blake proceeded to argue all the way back to Beacon. Ruby had tried to stop the two, but the fight continued to escalate. In an effort to keep her sister from getting stuck in the crossfire, Yang convinced the younger girl to let them handle this on their own.

"I'm a victim," Weiss screamed, the argument had finally reached the breaking point.

"Weiss-"

The Schnee heiress looked out the window, preparing to let bad memories resurface. "You want to know why I hate the White Fang, why I distrust the Faunus? It's because they've been at war with my family for years. As in actual bloodshed... I've seen family friends, coworkers, business partners... all vanish, just gone. So don't YOU sit there and tell me that the White Fang are not a bunch of monsters!"

And with that, Blake snapped.

"WELL MAYBE WE WERE TIRED OF BEING PUSHED AROUND!"

Silence reverberated in the dorm, when Blake realized what she had said, horror rose onto her face. She began to back towards the door, only to bump into Mercer. When she turned around, the amber eyed woman couldn't bear to look at the merc. The next second Blake dashed out of the room, hoping to get as far away as possible.

The people left in the room couldn't speak. Mercer's eyes trained on the doorway, a thousand thoughts running through his head. The last thing he expected was to find a White Fang member living next door to him. But the merc could sense there was more to this story that what was on the surface. He turned to look at the remaining girls, but settled his gaze on Weiss.

"You should think before you speak next time... you might have just ruined somebody's life."

With his lone statement finished, Mercer walked out the door, his intentions unknown to Ruby, Yang, or Weiss.

**Outside**

Blake continued to stare at the statue of the hunters outside of Beacon. Her anger had just ended the peace she had worked so hard to achieve. The team knew what she was, who she had been associated with, and her actions now had sealed her fate. Despite all that happened, the only person she was afraid of being hated by... was Mercer. The jade eyed man and her were so much alike. His quiet nature, his solitary preferences, and how much he loved to read... all these things made Blake feel a close bond with Mercer. When he had saved Velvet from Cardin and revealed how he never would judge a person based on race, it made her heart beat faster and her cheeks darken.

But now that was all gone, Mercer would surely hate her for being in the White Fang. Whatever these feelings were, they meant nothing now. Blake removed her bow and let her cat ears out before tears began to roll down her face. Her life was shattered.

"I was right, you look better without the bow," a voice called out behind her.

When Blake turned around she found the same monkey Faunus that they chasing in Vale a few feet from her.

"Name's Sun," the now identified Sun said with a cheeky smile.

"...Blake," she answered, letting a small smile come out.

"You look like you need to get away from here," Sun commented, obviously aware of Blake's emotional distress.

Blake could only nod and began to follow, only to stop when she spotted a similar silhouette leaning against a light-post by the airship dock.

"Mercer..." Blake said, just loud enough to be heard by the two men.

The merc stepped out into the light and stared at the two Faunus, his face unreadable. Sun could tell that this new man was making Blake uncomfortable, so he began to step in front of the black haired girl, thinking he was protecting her. Blake put a hand on his shoulder to let him know that his protection was unneeded, but appreciated.

Mercer just let out a long drawn sigh before turning towards the air docks. He turned his head to speak to the two Faunus. "Staying here won't help, you should leave Beacon for now. Come on, we should find a hotel in the city to stay the night. I'll pay for the rooms, so don't worry."

"We," Blake asked, shocked at Mercer's actions.

Sun seemed just as confused. "Why would you help us, you're a human."

Mercer stepped closer to them and let Sun look at his eyes. The merc was human, but his eyes showed something else... something they would learn about soon.

"Human is the last thing people would describe me as. Demon seems more appropriate," was how Mercer answered the blonde man. The two Faunus couldn't understand what he meant, but Blake trusted Mercer, and that was enough.

As the three began to descend into Vale, questioned ran through Blake's mind.

How would all of this end?

Would she be able to return to the life she had claimed?

Who was Mercer Knight, and what did he mean when he called himself a demon?

These questions would be answered, as would secrets of both black haired individuals be revealed. Now it was up to Blake how she would handle being so close to the man the White Fang feared more than anything.

The Viper.

** So many questions, so little time. Don't worry, next chapter will handle that. So Blake will learn about Mercer next time, but will things stay the same, or will she fear for her life?**

** You'll have to wait to discover the answer to that question. The next chapter will finish up volume 1 of the show, then we get into some original content, meaning you guys get a LONG chapter next time.**

** Hope you all enjoyed this installment of Viper's Glare! Don't forget to review, comment, or PM if you want.**

** Until next time my readers.**


	13. Chapter 11

**RWBY: Viper's Glare**

** Hello everyone, time for another chapter of Viper's Glare. As I mentioned in the author notes from the last chapter, I'm going to try very small crossovers in this fic. The first one is in this chapter, and if you guys don't like it, feel free to tell me and I can stop doing them. I'm flexible in this fic so removing or keeping them won't effect the story much.**

** Let's get started.**

** Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mercer, everything else belongs to their respective owners.**

**Chapter 11: Dance of the Death-Dealers**

Mercer kept his word and rented hotel rooms for his two Faunus companions and himself. It was a rather nice hotel, one you wouldn't expect Faunus to be allowed in. But Mercer was a quick talker and waved a large amount of Lien in the clerk's face, so the three got the rooms pretty easily. The merc suggested that they should go straight to sleep and speak the next day, and they listened. All three knew that the coming day would change everything. Out of all of them, Blake found it the hardest to sleep, her mind was overwhelmed with thoughts of Mercer. She couldn't understand why he was helping her. The amber eyed ninja knew that the merc had no hate for Faunus, but she would've expected her involvement with the White Fang would push him away. All she could really do now was wait until tomorrow and let fate be the judge.

**The Next Day**

After they had left the hotel, Mercer brought Blake and Sun to a cafe on a street corner. Once again Mercer paid for them, at this point the two wondered how much money the jade and black themed warrior had, but they didn't pry on that subject. Blake and Sun ordered coffee while Mercer ordered a bacon and cheese omelet with a glass of milk and coffee. Mercer has a high metabolism and exercises often so he eats more than most to keep up his energy. As they enjoyed the breakfast bought by the merc, Blake thought now was the best time to come clean on her secrets.

"So you want to know more about me," Blake asked, somewhat sheepish about her predicament.

"Finally she speaks," Sun boasted, earning a glare from Blake.

Mercer swallowed a bite of his food and turned to Sun. "Let her speak at her own pace, this isn't easy for her," he scolded before nodding at Blake, who blushed lightly at his respectful nature.

"Have you heard of the White Fang," she asked, still nervous.

"Of course, there isn't a Faunus alive who hasn't heard of them, bunch of holier-than-thou freaks if you ask me," Sun said before taking a sip of his drink.

"... I was a member of the White Fang."

Blake's revelation caused Sun to nearly choke on his coffee. "Wait, YOU were in the White Fang?"

Blake turned to see that Mercer was giving her the same cold and calculating glare he gave Cardin before he used Nightmare on him. That look was unnerving, but she continued anyway.

Blake took a deep breath and told the two men her tale. How she was basically born into the White Fang and had been with it since it was a peaceful organization that she followed greatly. But when they became violent, she decided to leave and become a huntress and try to make a difference.

"And so here I am, a criminal hiding in plain sight, all with the help of a little black bow," Blake concluded as she moved her cat ears under said bow.

There was a silence before Sun spoke. "So... have you told your friends any of this," he asked, somewhat wary of Mercer's dark expression.

"... only Mercer here knows the full story," she said, looking at the merc, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Mercer eventually let out a sigh and drank some of his own coffee. "I believe you Blake, it's natural to be afraid of what people would think of you with a story like that," he looked at his reflection in his drink before continuing. "Besides... if you were lying, I would have killed you right now."

The merc's statement cause Blake to recoil and Sun became angry. "What the fuck is your problem? You would kill her because of her past," the monkey Faunus raged.

Mercer began to leak out a small bit of his killer intent, enough to cause Sun to back down and not freak out the whole street corner. "I have a very dark past with the White Fang, their actions made me like I am today. After all... I'm the only one in the world they have a "flee on sight" order on."

Sun didn't understand what Mercer had said, but when he looked at Blake, he got an idea. The black haired woman's face was completely drained of color and her eyes were wide with absolute terror. Her whole body was shaking with pure fear. Whoever Mercer was, Blake was terrified of him.

"... Viper."

Sun heard Blake say that, but he didn't comprehend the situation. "Who's Viper," he asked.

Blake's eyes never left the merc. "Viper is the name of the most infamous mercenary on Remnant. He's never failed a contract and nobody who fights him walks away alive. The Viper has the tendency to kill all White Fang members he comes across. It's so bad that the leader forbids battle with him, all members must escape from him. But... those who meet him never live more than five minutes after."

Mercer only looked down at his food. "My reputation proceeds me it seems. Blake is right, I am Viper, and everything she just said is true. Only there's more to it than what's on the surface," the Viper said with a downcast expression.

Blake noticed this and relaxed slightly. "What do you mean?"

Mercer looked back up and saw the concern in the amber eyed woman's eyes. "Like you... there's more to my story than me being a ruthless killer. The current leader of the White Fang was working from the shadows before he rose to power. At the age of six I was abducted by his followers and used as a experiment," he paused and lifted up his right sleeve, letting Blake and Sun see the black tattoos going up his arms. "Dust was tattooed onto my skin and injected directly into my bloodstream. It was their hopes that they would create a weapon to use against humans. What they didn't expect was for me to escape. I spent most of my life running from assassins sent by the White Fang until I became strong enough to overpower them. The cruelty I experienced for years robbed me of hope and happiness, so as a coping mechanism I became a mercenary to make a living. With time I became the most powerful merc in the world, and the White Fang couldn't harm me anymore."

Mercer's story shocked Sun, this human went through hell and came back stronger because of it. That was enough to garner respect. Blake was on the verge of tears, she had no idea that her people could do this to Mercer. The greed of the White Fang ruined his life and forced him to become a killer to survive. It was heartbreaking, and she hated herself for fearing him.

"Mercer... I-" Blake began before being cut off.

The merc placed his hand on top of the trembling hand belonging to Blake. "Its alright Blake, I don't blame you for this. Despite our past, you are still my friend, and I will help you any way I can," Mercer's calm voice was enhanced by the smile he gave the young woman next to him. Blake's face turned a bright red at Mercer's kindness. He really was a great man.

"Thank you Mercer," Blake said with a smile of her own.

"Ahem..."

Blake and Mercer turned to see Sun with a smug look on his face. The two had forgotten he was there for the moment.

"Maybe we should go somewhere else," the monkey Faunus suggested. Seeing that Sun had a point, the three left the cafe and walked through the streets of Vale, unsure of what to do next. But as they left, Mercer said something.

"I know its a lot to ask... but could you not tell people who I am? I don't want my past to drive people away from me," he asked. The two Faunus understood his reasoning and promised to stay quiet.

**Elsewhere in Vale**

"Blake! Mercer!"

"Blake! Mercy-Baby!"

Ruby and Yang yelled out as they walked through Vale with Weiss behind them. After the fight the night before, Blake and Mercer had disappeared. Now the three were walking through the streets hoping to find their missing friends.

"Weiss, you're not helping," Ruby whined.

"Oh, you know who might help? The police," was the heiress' response, causing Ruby to growl.

"What, its just an idea."

"Yeah a bad one."

"Weiss I think we should hear her side of the story before we jump to conclusions. And figure out why Mercer left too," Yang cut in.

"And when we all hear it you'll realize I was right. Although Mercer is a mystery."

"And I think Weiss' hair looks wonderful today."

The new addition to the conversation caused the three girls to turn around. Only they found Penny following them.

"AH Penny where did you come from," Ruby screeched**/**asked.

"Hello guys, what are you up too," Penny asked in her odd way of taking.

"Uhh..."

"We're looking for our friends Blake and Mercer," Yang said, bailing out her sister.

"Oh, you mean the Faunus girl and the boy with demon eyes," the orange haired girl said.

"Wait... how did you know that," Ruby asked.

"And what did you say about Mercer," Yang questioned, her eyes flashing red.

"Uh, the cat ears. And his eyes are unnatural, like they've been modified."

_"I never thought about Mercer's eyes like that,"_ Ruby thought.

Yang looked confused. "What cat ears, she wears a... bow."

At that moment a large tumbleweed barreled past the four girls.

"She does like tuna a lot," Ruby whispered.

"So where are they, are they on some romantic date," Penny asked, causing Yang's hair to burst into flames for a second.

"We don't know, they've been missing since Friday," Ruby said, slightly irritated at the thought of Blake and Mercer on a date for some reason she did not know.

Penny went and grabbed Ruby by her arms. "That's terrible... don't worry Ruby my friend, I won't rest until I won't rest until we find your teammate... and her boyfriend."

"HE'S NOT HER BOYFRIEND," RWY yelled at the same time before it got quiet again.

"Ah that's really nice of you Penny, but we're OK, right guys," Ruby asked, only to find Yang and Weiss were gone and another tumbleweed had passed by them.

"It sure is windy today."

**With the Two Faunus and the Merc**

"So what's the plan now," Sun asked as he, Blake and Mercer walked down the street

"I still don't believe the White Fang are behind these robberies, they've never needed that much Dust before," the black haired ninja said.

Mercer then joined in. "Blake has a point, I've seen how the White Fang operate as much as she has, and this is not their style," he said, running his hair through his black locks.

"What if they did," Sun suddenly exclaimed, earning looks from his two companions. "I mean, the only way to prove that they didn't do it, is to go to the place they would most likely go to if they were to do, and not find them there. Right," the blonde haired man explained.

_"How did he say that without getting tongue-tied,"_ the merc asked himself.

"The only thing is I have no idea where that would be," Blake claimed.

"Same here, I never actively looked for the White Fang, most the time it was by luck or they were looking for me," Mercer added, trying to think of a solution.

But Sun had an idea. "Well while I was on the ship, I heard some guys talking about a huge shipment of Dust coming in from Atlas."

"How huge?"

"HUGE, big Schnee Company freighter."

"You're sure," Blake asked.

Mercer began to walk towards the docks. "It seems we have a lead, lets go," the merc said, and the two Faunus followed/

**With Yang and Weiss**

"Thanks anyways," Yang said as they walked out of a shop. Hours had past and they still hadn't found any sign of Mercer and Blake. "This is hopeless."

"... you don't care if we find her do you," Yang suddenly asked the heiress.

"Don't be stupid, of course I do... I'm just afraid of what she'll say when we find her," Weiss retorted as she began to walk away before turning back to the blonde. "The innocent don't run Yang. And I have no idea why Mercer went with her, but I don't think he is in love with her."

The brawler looked down at the ground. _"I don't think Mercer is in love with her, but the other way around."_

**With Ruby and Penny**

"So Blake is your friend?'

"Yes Penny."

"But you're mad at her?"

Ruby sighed. "Yes w-well I'm not, Weiss is."

Penny continued. "Is she friends with Blake?"

"That's kind of up in the air right now."

"But why?"

Once again Ruby sighed at the ginger's unlimited questions. "Well you see... Blake might not be who we thought she was..."

Penny cut in. "Is she a man?"

"No,no... Penny she's... I don't know what she is, she didn't exactly talk to us before she ran off," Ruby finished, looking down at the ground.

Penny also looked at the ground. "I don't have many friends... but if I did, I would want them to talk to me about things," she said as she looked back at Ruby.

The crimson cloaked girl turned around. "Me too," she said before continuing to walk.

"What about Mercer," Penny suddenly asked.

That question caused Ruby to stop in her tracks. She really didn't understand why Mercer left, but she was sure he had a reason. "Mercer is... different. He doesn't show it, but there is a lot of pain behind his eyes. I have no idea what the world did to him, but it robbed him of all his joy. I... was the first friend he ever really had... and I want to be there for him. I will not let Mercer fall back into the dark," the young girl stated with conviction.

Penny said nothing as the two continued their search.

**Docks**

Currently Mercer and Blake were laying down on top of a roof near the area the Dust shipment was unloaded on. Sun had went to get something so it was just the two of them. Blake couldn't help but stare at Mercer. Never would she think that the person she was sure she lo- called a friend, was the Viper, the person she was always told to never get near. Mercer being Viper... it made sense. His skill, calm persona, the frightening powers... she wasn't really surprised. What did surprise her was how wrong she was about Mercer. He had all the right reasons to hate her, but he didn't. In fact... he was helping her. Maybe... Blake wanted more than friendship with the jade eyed hunter.

"Mercer..." she started, gaining his attention. "You don't have to do this, this is my problem."

The merc just shook his head. "Blake... you are my friend, I don't have many, so I value each one more than I do myself. I will never let you face this alone."

His words caused her face to heat up again. Mercer was making it really hard on her. Blake was falling... fast, and soon it would be too late to stop the inevitable.

"I'm going to check out the other side of the docks. Be careful Blake, I've told Sun to keep you safe, but I still want to tell you that," Mercer said before he got up and left. Blake just watched him leave and disappear into the darkness. For a few minutes, she was alone.

Sun suddenly jumped onto the roof. "Did I miss anything?"

"Not really, they've offloaded all the crates from boat, now they're just sitting there," Blake answered.

"Cool," he then brought out an apple. "I stole you some food."

"Do you always break the law without a second thought?"

"Hey, weren't you in a cult or something?"

Blake just responded with a look that said "shut up or I'll hurt you."

"OK, too soon... hey, where's Mercer?"

Blake looked back at the crates. "He's checking out the other side of the area," she answered.

"Aren't you afraid of him, the Viper, from how you acted earlier it seemed like he was a real monster," Sun asked.

Blake was silent for a moment. "I was, but not anymore. Learning the truth showed me that the world is wrong about him, Mercer is not a monster, he has only acted in they way he experienced life. He's a great guy... a wonderful man. And I trust Mercer, because he has given me no reason not to," she replied with the faintest tint of pink on her cheeks.

"Sounds like you love him," Sun said in a slightly depressed, but understanding tone.

Blake never got a chance to respond because airships came flying into sight. And with those airships came the last thing the amber eyed woman wanted to see.

**With Mercer**

Mercer was sure he saw a person when he was with Blake. The distance made it hard to be sure, so he had come over here to see. The merc was sure that Blake and Sun would be fine on their own, but he had hoped to be there to aid them. As Mercer got further away from his previous position, the sound of airships came from behind, meaning that the culprits had arrived. But then he began to hear the sound of hands clapping.

As Mercer turned the corner, he found himself looking at a middle aged man in a gray suit with a black shirt. The man had black hair parted off to the side and thick sideburns with a handlebar mustache. Black pointed leather boots and strange tie completed his attire. On his large white belt was two golden revolvers.

"I'm glad to see that you found me Mercer Knight, or should I call you Viper," the man spoke with a very distinguishing accent.

Mercer narrowed his eyes and placed a hand on Empty Promise. "Who are you," Mercer spoke in a voice that commanded obedience.

The man bowed to Mercer before speaking. "Forgive me if I disrespected you, my name is Dr. Peace, and I am an assassin," the now identified man declared.

Mercer responded by narrowing his eyes. "Assassin" only meant one thing from the merc's experience. "So, you're here to try and kill me, is that it?"

Dr. Peace and Mercer began to circle each other at a distance. "That seems to be the case, though I was told I was _testing_ you by my client," the assassin answered.

"_Testing_? Who hired you," Mercer interrogated, still calm despite the fact that a explosion had just came from the direction Blake and Sun were in.

The hired killer noticed Mercer's distraction. "I wouldn't worry about that pretty kitty back there Viper. I'm not with the White Fang, though my employer did know about them coming here. But to answer your question, I have no idea who hired me, I just received a message that said to kill you, attached to that was the reward, paid in in advance. Funny, seems that they didn't expect me to come back alive."

"They must not carry much faith in hired killers."

Dr. Peace laughed at the merc's statement. "You aren't much different from me Viper, we are both masters at our craft and killing is our art. We just use different names to describe ourselves," hearing that the fighting over by the dust shipment was escalating, Dr. Peace pulled out his twin revolvers. "I believe its time for us to dance my friend. Don't die too quickly Viper, I want to gorge myself in this victory until I vomit,"

Mercer pulled out his spear, for this fight, he would not be Mercer Knight the hunter, he would need to be Viper, the mercenary. "So be it," he declared in a icy voice.

"See you on the other side kid," Dr. Peace concluded before firing one of his guns at Mercer.

Mercer went to cut the bullet in half but was cut off guard when it round exploded on contact. The blast knocked Mercer back, but he remained standing. _"Explosive rounds... he wants to keep me at a distance, judging by what I'm sensing, he has very little aura, meaning I just need one fatal strike to kill this assassin,"_ Mercer analyzed as he swerved around the gunfire coming from Dr. Peace. Despite using revolvers, he reloaded very quickly. Mercer could only avoid the bullets coming from the assassin. The merc tried to fire Empty Promise in its rifle form but he could only scratch the man's shoulder. The constant movement made it impossible to fire accurately, so long distance was useless. At this rate something might happen to Blake and Sun in their fight. Mercer was done with this assassin, he needed to help his friends, even if he had to speed up the insanity process. The Viper let his presence be known... by pushing his aura to his max level. The unbelievable pressure immobilized Dr. Peace and distracted him. When he looked at Mercer, he was moving so fast in a waving pattern. What came as a surprise to the assassin was that Mercer's aura cloak had morphed into a giant snake with his speed. The hired gun could only watch as the large black and jade serpent rushed by him. Mercer then released his aura and let it die down before saying two words.

**"Shadow Snake."**

With those two words, blood exploded from Dr. Peace. **Shadow Snake** was one of Mercer's signature techniques. Using his speed combined with his dense aura, Mercer rushes his opponent and delivers a fatal strike. He learned to mold his aura into the shape of a giant snake to cause a fear factor to immobilize the victim to make the attack easy. The Achilles heal in this move is that using it makes Mercer lose more of his sanity from the strain of balancing his speed while molding all the aura he possesses.

"Well... done... Viper," the assassin manages to get out before he falls to the ground, dead. Mercer walked over to his fallen enemy, a line of black blood falling from his right eye.

"Prick," Mercer said before rushing over to the area Blake and Sun were fighting. As he was running, a massive green beam shot out and destroyed a incoming airship. When he came out to the clearing, he found that the White Fang were retreating, he could see Blake, Sun, Ruby, and Penny regrouping with themselves. The merc looked up to see Roman Torchwick in one of the airships. When the career criminal saw Mercer, he mouthed "oh shit" and quickly slammed the hatch shut.

By the time Mercer reached the four the White Fang were gone and the police had showed up. Weiss and Yang had also appeared and it seems the ice queen was scolding the cat Faunus.

"I don't trust you though," Weiss said, pointing at Sun.

"Seems you have all stopped fighting," Mercer commented, getting the attention of his companions.

"Mercer, are you alright, I heard explosions over where you went," Blake asked with concern in her voice.

Mercer nodded. "I'm fine, just had to deal with a guy with a bad mustache."

"I didn't know Professor Port was here," Yang chuckled, causing everyone but Mercer who smiled and Penny who had vanished to start laughing.

What they didn't see was a White Fang grunt who had been hiding nearby jump out and point a gun at them.

"FOR THE WHITE FANG," he yelled as he pulled the trigger.

Mercer was able to see the grunt right before he pulled the trigger. He was also able to see the trajectory the bullet would take.

Blake would be hit.

Without thinking or activating his aura, Mercer moved in front of the amber eyed woman. He would not let his friend die.

_BANG!_

Team RWBY and Sun were frozen when the gunshot. But seconds later the four girls were screaming at the top of their lungs with tears running down their faces as Mercer Knight fell backwards onto the ground, a bullet hole in his forehead and blood streaming out of the wound. Mercer had just taken a fatal shot in order to save Blake.

** CLIFFHANGER!**

** Bet none of you were expecting that. I hope I just caused most of you to shit yourselves. I'm sorry... I am a evil creature, and you'll all have to wait to see the outcome next chapter.**

** Speaking of next chapter, it will be the beginning of original content. I'll be covering the two weeks between Volume 1 and Volume 2, so get excited.**

** I took that assassin Mercer fought from the Wii game series No More Heroes, Dr. Peace was the second boss in the first game. The series was made by Suda 51 and is very good if you like over the top violence and weirdness. As I said at the beginning of the chapter, if the crossover thing like this is not a good idea, please let me know. I'm capable of working either way.**

**Also, while it hasn't been brought into light just yet, you can go ahead and declare the creation of the MercerxBlake ship- Venom. Blake won't admit her love until next chapter, but I thought I'd be nice and declare the ship early.**

** Hope you all enjoyed it, I'll see you next time!**

** Remember to review, comment, and PM.**


	14. Chapter 12

**RWBY: Viper's Glare**

** Well that last chapter got a rise out of you guys. Turns out all you need is a jaw dropping cliffhanger to get you guys to speak. So now I'm gonna be nice and give some closure to that last chapter here and now. So enjoy!**

** Disclaimer: You guys know this song and dance by now.**

**Chapter 12: Immortal**

This was truly the worst way this day could end.

Blake finally figured out the truth about the Dust robberies, she was upset that it was the White Fang, but Torchwick was something else. She had reconciled with Weiss and her team, which made her mood much better. Then... there was her realization. The amber eyed woman came to discover that she was hopelessly in love with her friend, Mercer. He was... everything she could ask for. Kind, humble, understanding, a avid reader, mysterious, and his looks were a bonus. He trusted her with his greatest secret and offered to help her just from her being his friend. Blake was thinking of ways to tell him how she felt after they settled all the trouble this night.

But that will never happen now.

The girls of team RWBY could only watch as Mercer's black blood continued to flow out of the hole in his head. The merc's eyes were rolled back in his head and his skin had lost all color to it. None of them could move, they were to mortified to do anything. Weiss had backed away from his body, her hands over her mouth, trying to keep from screaming. Yang was holding a wailing Ruby, the poor girl wanted to be near he fallen friend, the shock still hitting the cloaked girl hard. The blonde herself looked liked her whole world was shattered beyond repair. Blake was on her knees, sobbing violently at the death of the jade eyed warrior. While having only known Mercer for a few days, Sun came to see him as a cool guy, a little too calm in his opinion, but still cool. The monkey Faunus could only watch as these four very skilled female huntresses broke down at watching the Viper take a bullet for Blake.

Then Sun began to hear laughing.

His head shot to the White Fang grunt who took the merc from this world and found the bastard was beginning to cackle like a madman.

"...hahahaHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

The shooter's insane laughing disgusted Sun to his very core. He wanted to tear this bastard to pieces. But the blonde was more concerned about the girls' reactions. All four of them were leaking major killing intent towards the gunman. Weiss had a face that screamed murder, Myrtenaster gripped in her hand so tight that her knuckles were more white than her hair. Ruby had this eerily emotionless expression that was unnerving, she was unpredictable at this moment. Yang's eyes were now red, though tears still streamed her face. White hot flames began to dance in her golden hair. Blake was by far the scariest. Her beautiful face was contorted into the most apparent despise for the White Fang grunt. These women looked like they would kill in an instant. And that laughing idiot just keep digging his grave deeper.

"I can't believe it... he's dead... I fucking killed him. The leader will be so proud, I've shot and killed the most annoying bastard in the world," his mad prattle was just further angering the four women. Even the cops nearby wouldn't get near, the feelings these young women gave off promised a painful death. Sun remembered something something Mercer had told him before they went to the docks.

_"If you can, make sure you don't let her go too far. You cannot let her take a life. Killing a person... changes you. I know... I've taken many, many lives. I don't want her to end up like me."_

Sun knew at this point that speech applied to all for members of RWBY. Even though he is gone, Mercer would not want them to seek vengeance for his death. That was the kind of man he was, willing to take in the dark so others wouldn't have to. But at this point, Sun didn't know if he could hold back four very pissed, very powerful, women with dangerous weapons.

The grunt continued his little mad rant. "I am having a great day! He's dead... and I killed him. Put a bullet right in his fucking head. I DID IT! I MURDERED THE VI-ACKK," but before he could announce Mercer's mercenary name, he grunt was lifted up off his feet. A hand gripped tight around his neck. It wasn't surprising that someone decided to shut the madman up.

What was surprising was who had the bastard by the throat.

Sun thought he was seeing things. There was no way this could be possible. He looked behind him to see if he was hallucinating these events. He wasn't. The four girls changed from murderous from absolutely floored. This was impossible, but was happening. It took only a moment for team RWBY to go from shocked to completely relieved.

What they now looked at was the jade green spear and angel wings that made his insignia. His tall frame was highlighted by his absolute pitch black suit. The black windstorm that was his aura was flaring wildly. The once black tattoos on his arms and neck now glowed green once again. It was impossible for this to be happening, but it was.

Mercer Knight was alive. And he had his own shooter by the neck.

"... h-how," the grunt asked, now on the verge of pissing himself. Mercer's grip only tighten as a response.

Mercer said one sentence, and it was filled with more malice than the four girls combined. "**I'm harder to kill than that**," and with that the merc pushed all his aura into the hand that held the White Fang. With a simple addition of pressure from the aura powered hand, the grunt's head properly exploded into a fountain of blood. Mercer simply tossed the body aside and turned to his allies, and what he showed them was unbelievable.

The bullet hole was healed like it was never there. The only trace of the wound was all the blood that was caking Mercer's attractive face. He looked the same as before.

While he wasn't showing it, Mercer was exhausted. Fatal wounds always took a lot to regenerate. A side effect of the experiment done on him was gaining the ability of high speed regeneration. The merc can heal any wound, fatal or not, as long as his stamina isn't completely drained. The only thing he can't heal is missing limbs, somehow he can regrow organs or in the case of the headshot a moment ago, damaged sections.

Mercer could only stare at his friends. While he was grateful that they were able to hold back their killer motives long enough for him to put his brain back together, Mercer wished they hadn't seen him kill shooter. That kill was more violent than most of his. The only conclusion the merc could reach was that he lost control for the smallest amount of time and took his rage out on the now dead White Fang soldier. The last thing he ever wanted to do was kill in front of his friends... this was a step back in Mercer's regaining of his humanity. Right now, he needed to be alone.

"Mercer... where are you going," Ruby asked as he began to walk away from the others. While they were ecstatic that he was alive, they all couldn't help but wonder how.

"I... need to be alone. You all saw something you should never have to see," was how the merc responded before disappearing into the Vale streets.

The members of RWBY couldn't find the right words to use, so they just let him go.

"Well it seems you all have had a fulfilling night."

They all turned to see Ozpin had cleared out the police..

Walking towards them, the headmaster could see the worry in their eyes, no doubt for Mercer. "I'm sure you have questions and I will try to answer what I can. But this is Mr. Knight's private dilemma, so you have to respect his decisions," he declared. "Come, we will discuss this back at the Academy, you come along as well Mr. Wukong."

Seeing no other option, the five followed the gray haired huntsmen to the school, hoping to gain answers.

**Vale**

**_"Gotta give it to you Viper, channeling your aura into you hand to make that guy's head explode, priceless. The dumb fucker thought he killed you. Well surprise! Bet he shit himself when he saw it was you."_**

Ever since Mercer walked away from the docks, a nagging feeling of guilt was pouring down on him. Not for killing that grunt, he will never feel guilty for that. But for who saw him. The merc never wanted anyone at Beacon to see him take a life. He knew that hunters looked down on killers, but... its all he knew. Only twice in his life had Mercer spared a life. Once was a man who would later come to annoy Mercer whenever they met, and the other was a puma Faunus who left the White Fang. That assassin, Dr. Peace, was right. Mercer was a killer, a very good one at that. He just wished Ruby and the others would never have to see him take lives.

But that was a unattainable dream now.

"Mercer, I wasn't aware you were back in Vale," a older voice called out to him from behind. Mercer spun around to find a man he was glad to see.

"Tuckson..."

**Ozpin's Office**

The four girls and Sun sat in the large office that belonged to Beacon's headmaster. Large cogs moved around in the ceiling, preventing silence. Ozpin himself was in deep thought. He had already spoken to Blake alone to see where her loyalties lie. Her answers satiated his curiosity... for now. The task at hand was now to not reveal Mercer's identity as the Viper to these children while answering their questions.

"Go ahead, I'll answer what I can," he said, breaking the tension in the room.

"How did he survive," Weiss asked, barely letting Ozpin finish.

"As I said earlier, this is personal for Mr. Knight, but I will tell you what I can. Due to... circumstances I cannot divulge, Mr. Knight has the ability to regenerate almost any wound he receives, fatal or non-fatal. To put it bluntly, he is an immortal," the gray haired professor answered.

Immortal... that was the last thing they expected to be an answer. It should be impossible... yet Mercer proved it possible. "Although..." Ozpin began again. "He still feels pain like everyone else. So before you say anything about how useful an ability like that is, remember... that includes the life threatening wounds."

Blake was the first to understand what Ozpin meant. "That means..."

"Yes Miss Belladonna... Mr. Knight has felt what it is like to die, a pain so great there is no one who could handle it, except for him. He knows what death feels like, only he cannot embrace an end... he must live through the suffering. That is the curse known as immortality."

The revelation shook the five to their very cores. Mercer had died, over and over again in his life, and he could not pass on. Ozpin was right, while it had benefits, immortality was a terrible curse.

Ruby lifted her head, there was something she had to know. "Why... why did Mercer kill him. I... understand getting back at someone. But to take a life... its wrong," her please were understandable, she did not know the mindset of those like Mercer. Not many do.

Ozpin leaned forward in his chair. "Ruby... I know that you and the others were raised to think that all life is sacred and it must never be taken, I respect that, that is the way huntsmen think. But Mr. Knight... he was not raised to think like that. Your world and his are very different. While you enjoyed peace and had time to be nurtured into the individuals you are today, he did not. Mr. Knight had to grow up much earlier than any of you. In his experience, it was to kill or be killed. Mercy was a weakness that could cost you your life. I will tell you this now... Mercer had killed more than once and will most likely kill in the future. That... is the way he knows how to live. While you may not like it, you must respect his lifestyle."

Ruby could only lower her head again. She understood Ozpin's words, she just didn't want to believe her friend was... a killer. But he was, and the cloaked girl would need to accept that one day.

"He sacrifices this for you all," Ozpin caused all heads to focus on him again. "Mr. Knight gave up his innocence for your sakes. He has the philosophy _kill one, save a thousand_, while life is sacred... sometimes ending a life will spare many more. I cannot tell you of his exploits, that you will have to hear from him, but I can say that Mercer Knight is willing to kill so that none of you will ever have to. He bears the burden not man, woman, or child should have to."

Ozpin was right, they couldn't imagine what Mercer had to deal with. They could at least respect the merc and be there to help him in anyway you can.

"Now... I believe you should all gets some rest. Mr. Wukong, while I am aware you are signed up for the Vytal Tournament with your team, you came earlier than expected. So for know you will stay in a spare room until your team arrives. Now, off to bed, I'm sure you can speak to Mr. Knight in the morning," Ozpin said as he waved for them to leave. The five left, knowing a little more about their jade eyed companion.

When Ozpin was alone, he pulled out his scroll and sent a voice message to Professor Goodwitch. "Glynda, I would like to come to my office, I have something I need to tell you."

Now came the real test... explaining to his lovestruck vice-headmaster that her crush was shot in the head before getting back up.

Oh joy.

**Warehouse in an Unknown Location**

This was not Roman Torchwick's night.

First he had to deal with a bunch of White Fang mutts who couldn't listen to orders. Then he had to deal with Little Red and her band of merry do-gooders. Then, as if it couldn't get any worse, the Viper, one of the two people in this world he was scared shitless of, happened to be at the docks and saw him. Torchwick once met the merc years ago, hell he hired him for a protection job, before he went on the straight and narrow side of contract mercenaries. But that little time they knew each other, the career criminal developed a fear of getting trapped in Nightmare. Mercer was one of the reasons he stayed in Vale, because the merc was rarely there. But now that green eyed devil knows what he's up to and it's only a matter of time before he finds him. And know his scary fire throwing boss was chewing him out for not getting all the Dust from the docks.

"So tell me Roman... what possessed you to run from a bunch of children," Cinder said in her sweetly threatening voice. Her gold eyes shinning with demand.

"Well it was all fine until one of those _children_ shot a freaking LAZER and destroyed one of the airships, that kinda puts a dent in the plan. Then of all things, that green eyed pretty boy bastard Viper showed up..."

"Wait," the flame sorceress cut him off. "Did you say _Viper_," her voice seemed almost desperate.

"Uh... about six feet tall, built like a slender monster, has the ability to kill you by LOOKING at you? Yeah, that Viper. From the looks of it he was with those huntsmen brats. Guess he changed from mercenary to hunter," the cane carrying man said.

Cinder developed a disturbingly seductive smile before heading to the door. "Well... looks like you didn't screw up completely Roman, our plan just became easier," with that she left, leaving a confused Torchwick alone.

When Cinder was far enough away from anybody, she pressed up against a nearby wall. The black haired woman started to breath heavily and her face became flushed. She trailed a finger from her plump lips down her neck until she reached her breasts. Thoughts of Mercer filled her head. Cinder was obsessed with the merc, she'd been watching him for years. He was delicious. Mercer was perfection, the things she wanted to do to him. Plus that repressed darkness... so orgasmic. By the time Cinder regain her train of thought, her dress was hiked up and her hand was dangerously close to rubbing the spot between her legs. Composing herself once more, the wickedly attractive woman was happy with this turn of events.

"Oh Mercer... soon you will be all mine."

**Beacon Courtyard**

After Mercer had seen Tuckson, his mood had improved. The Faunus ran a bookstore that Mercer frequented when he was in Vale. They developed a bond over written literature within time. The merc found seeing one of the two men he spared made him feel better. After a short conversation with him Mercer made his way back to Beacon. Now he stood in the same spot where he had found Blake when she let her secret out.

"You can come out now Blake, I can sense you," Mercer said to the woman hiding nearby.

Said woman came out of the shadows, a blush on her face from being found. "Mercer... are you alright," her voiced was filled to the brim with concern.

The merc sighed. "I am going guess you know about my... ability." She nodded. "I see, do you think... any differently about me," his voiced now carried concern, he didn't want her or the others to think less of him. But if they did, then he would except it.

His question was answered when Blake wrapped her arms around him and pressed her body into his back. Mercer was not expecting a hug... or for the beautiful cat Faunus to start purring. He wouldn't deny it, this was... nice, the big bad mercenary liked getting hugs from pretty women. Though he'd never admit it.

"Mercer... you saved me. You were willing to die for me. I will never think any different of you. Words cannot express how grateful I am," Blake began to purr louder. "I don't care who you were, I will never betray you." The amber eyed woman declared. _"I hope soon I can tell you that I love you Mercer. My love for you is greater than the feelings expressed in all the pages of Ninjas of Love,"_ she added in her thoughts.

Mercer smiled at the declaration of his Faunus friend, though part of him was screaming that his life just got a lot more troublesome. "Thank you Blake, now you should get to bed, I have to go speak to the Headmaster. I'll see you in the morning."

Blake nodded before heading back to the dorms. A blush and a large smile on her face.

Once he was sure Blake was gone, Mercer sighed and went back to his stoic persona. "Do you have a habit of eavesdropping on private conversations Professor," the merc asked, slightly irritated.

Ozpin walked into view, coffee mug in hand. "I actually didn't hear anything except that you needed to speak to me. So... here I am."

Mercer brought a hand up and rubbed his temple, still not believing he was about to do this. "I... need you to bring someone to Beacon and enroll them."

"Oh, and who would that be," Ozpin asked, genuily curious about the merc's request.

"Somebody who can fight me in the event I lose control."

** Done!**

** Whole lotta stuff happened there. You can officially add Blake to the romance poll now, the Venom ship has set sail.**

** You learned quite a lot about Mercer in this chapter and his influence on the world. Things will only get more exciting as we go.**

** You've also discovered Cinder's obsession with Mercer, as well as how... devoted she is to that obsession. Made use of that M-rating here.**

** So with that last line of the chapter I can officially announce the first original OC to join the world of Beacon other than Mercer. This incoming character was created by a guy who does not write fanfiction, but is a hardcore RWBY fan like myself and I see him as my brother in all but blood. I think you will all enjoy this character, they bring some comedy to this story.**

** So until next time my legion of loyal readers, please remember to review, comment, and PM.**

** Have a nice day.**


	15. Chapter 13

**RWBY: Viper's Glare**

** Hello everyone, FallenSymphony963 is back with the next chapter of VG! The last chapter did pretty well, so lets keep moving. Time to do something a few people have been asking for; bring in someone from Mercer's past. So without further adieu, here is chapter 13 and Rouge Shere-Khan.**

** Disclaimer: I own nothing but Mercer and the rights to Rouge.**

**Chapter 13: Eye of the Tiger**

Despite all the chaos of the day before, today was calm and peaceful. Sun moved into one of the rooms of the building that would house transfer students, team RWBY was whole again, and the entire fiasco of Mercer and his undying body had settled. But, by the unusual luck, the people at Beacon were in for a hectic day... more so than usual.

**Ozpin's Office**

"So you're sure that this man can... handle you, if the worst comes to pass," the headmaster asked. Currently Ozpin and Mercer were finishing a game of chess, which the gray haired man won. While Ozpin had looked over all the information on the individual that Mercer had him call in, he couldn't help notice the merc's... reluctance to agree with his suggestion.

Mercer could only sigh at the annoyance that would come in the near future. "Yes, he is one of the best mercenaries money can buy... despite his eccentric attitude and mannerisms. Thankfully he was getting out of the business like I was, plus... he considers himself close to me, so he'll just enroll and not charge you," Mercer answered, drinking the cup of coffee he received from Ozpin. He wasn't lying, this associate was a excellent fighter that would fit in well among the other students and prove useful against the Grimm. The dark warrior only had one problem with this man, and that was his maturity level.

Ozpin simply stared at the Viper, taking in all the changes he had gone through. Mercer's time at Beacon had benefited him well. His pale skin had gained some color and he didn't look so deathly anymore. The frown lines that were once present were gone thanks to the merc having more positive expressions. But the biggest change could be found in his eyes. A light now filled those eyes, a light that carried the promise of a new future. Beacon's headmaster finally understood why Qrow had him sent here. It wasn't so Mercer could save the world, but so he would save himself from the darkness.

"So I need to ask, when will Mr. Winchester wake up from the coma your semblance put him in," the coffee addict questioned. Cardin had been in a vegetative state since his encounter with Mercer in his less-than-friendly mood.

Mercer scowled slightly at the mention of one his lease favorite people. "Shouldn't be more than a more than a day or two, although he'll have developed a slight phobia of me by now," the merc said, somewhat proud of his handiwork.

The sound of Ozpin's door opening brought the two men out of their respective thoughts. Goodwitch walked in with a towering individual behind her. The man was taller than Mercer, he was broad and incredibly muscular, shown by the abs shown against his orange t-shirt and the muscles on his arms and legs straining against his clothing. The man wore dark leather boots and black jeans that were held up by a chain for a belt. Over his orange shirt was covered by a black leather jacket that had white fur around cuffs of the arms and the collar. The man had a necklace made of various Grimm teeth around his neck. Also he had black fingerless gloves. His eyes were feline in nature and colored a bright orange, his face was chiseled with a defined jaw and large fluffy sideburns that were black with orange strips. Connected to those sideburns was neatly trimmed black hair on the sides and back with wild orange hair on the top. On his back attached to a brown leather shoulder belt was a massive double bladed ax that shared a similar color scheme as its possessor. A large grin was plastered on his face as he looked around Ozpin's office.

"Wow... I've never seen a office this big, guess the man in charge likes to be fancy," the man's booming boisterous voice echoed in the ears of the others in the room. When his eyes trailed over to the desk and found Mercer standing there is grin somehow got bigger than it already was. "MERCER! How have you been you broody bastard," the large man bellowed out as he walked up and pulled the jade eyed man into a bear hug.

"Let... go of me... Rouge," Mercer said, now annoyed by his associate's lack of respect for his personal space.

The now named Rouge let go of the merc and scratched one of his cheeks. "Sorry about that man, it's been awhile since we saw each other. Man... I wonder if that guy is still in the air?"

Mercer sweatdropped at the memory. _"And that's why I don't work with you moron..."_

Ozpin cleared his throat to get the pair's attention. "While I would like for the two of you to reminisce... classes start in two hours and you will both need to change into your uniforms before then," Ozpin mentioned, somewhat amused by the dynamics of the first and second most dangerous mercenaries in the world. Goodwitch thought Mercer might strangle Rogue if this went on too long.

Rouge flashed a toothy grin to the two professors. "My apologizes to the both of you, Mercer here has a big influence on me. Allow me to properly introduce myself... Rouge Shere-Khan; former mercenary, tiger Faunus, and joker extraordinaire- at your service," the large warrior introduced himself with a exaggerated bow.

Mercer scowled and Goodwitch sweatdropped while Ozpin smiled. "Pleasure Mr. Shere-Khan, I'm glad you accepted the offer to come here to Beacon. While you are here for... a special circumstance, please be sure to enjoy your time here. Mr. Knight will explain the details of why you are here on your own time. As of know you and Mr. Knight are partners at this academy, so you will be watching each others backs from now on. Although that shouldn't be a problem now should it," the headmaster asked, know that Mercer was now trying to burn his eyes into his head.

"You two should hurry and change before breakfast starts, I will see you in class later Mercer," Goodwitch said with a blush. When Ozpin had informed her about the night before, her heart nearly stopped and she rushed to Mercer's room to see him. When the dark hunter opened his door she pulled him into a hug and keep telling him never do something like that again. When the merc finally got the blonde to calm down, he said he would try not to and she left, although she was half tempted to persuade him to let her stay with him, but she go too shy and left.

Unfortunately for Goodwitch, Rouge picked up on her little address to Mercer. "Well well... what do we have here? You got a hot teacher calling you by your first name? Damn Mercer, you really are a ladies man, no wonder most of you employers were female," the tiger Faunus nudge Mercer with his elbow and put on a shit-eating grin. Goodwitch turned scarlet while Ozpin was laughing profusely on the inside.

Mercer responded in the way he always handles Rouge. A swift chop to the gut caused the larger young man to hunch over and clutch his stomach. Mercer could still hit hard after all this time.

"Ow, still got that chop there Mercer," Rouge coughed out. "Wait... breakfast? Is there bacon?" Ozpin nodded. "WHOO BACON! Come on my broody partner, the kingdom of tasty meat awaits," he declared as he took of to the elevator, saying "Bacon Strips" repeatedly.

Mercer brought his hand up to his face before releasing a tired sigh. "Fuck me..." he muttered under his breath before going to the elevator where Rogue was jumping up and down. As the doors closed on the two, Mercer slapped the tiger Faunus on the back of the head, causing him to stop bouncing.

Once the two former mercenaries had left, Goodwitch turned to her employer. "I give it two weeks before they try to kill each other," she said.

"I give it a week... care to make a wager," the headmaster asked, a devious plan forming in his head.

**Later in the Hallways**

"I don't like this tie, feels like I'm choking here," Rouge said as he fiddled with the blue uniform tie. He and Mercer had changed into their uniforms and were walking towards the dinning hall. Rogue's room had been on the hall next to the one Mercer lived on with RWBY and JNPR.

The tiger Faunus put his hands behind his back as the pair walked. "Are you going to tell me why you brought me here Mercer," he asked, his grin still present all this time.

Mercer kept walking before he answered. "... you already know why."

Rouge's smile fell slightly. "It's getting worse isn't it?"

"You are the only person capable of making sure I don't hurt someone."

When the larger merc looked down at his companion, he could see the regret in his eyes. Rouge knew that moment that Mercer had changed. "These people here must have changed you, I can see that you've become more lively than when I last saw you," he mused, seeing how the Viper wasn't ice cold anymore.

"Maybe so... also, do not tell anyone who we really are, I don't want to be feared by these people."

"I won't, I'll be sure make up something," Rouge said with a thumbs up.

When Mercer opened the doors to the dining hall, they found that most of the students were already eating and conversing among themselves. Once the two had made it a few feet in, they were stopped by a pair of people.

Ruby and Velvet.

… oh this wouldn't end well.

"Mercer, why didn't you come and see us after you got back to Beacon. We were worried you know? You shouldn't do something dangerous like that and just walk away," Ruby scolded as she turned into a pouting chibi. In most cases this would easily break a man's resolve, but it was only the tip of the iceberg.

"When they told me what happened... I got so scared. Please don't do that again," Velvet pleaded. She too took a chibi form, only here eyes were bigger with tears in them.

All the people in the dining hall watched as the Viper was trapped by two adorable girls worried sick for him. Many had to restrain themselves from enveloping the girls in hugs. Their cuteness was deadly. Rouge was barely holding back his laughter at his associate's situation, as was Yang, Sun, Nora, and Jaune.

Mercer's left eye was twitching and he was holding his breath. The most dangerous mercenary in the world was backed into a corner by two teenage girls. Even he, in all his stoic abilities, was weakened by the adorableness of Ruby and Velvet.

_"Must resist... urge... to hug,"_ the merc repeated in his mind, he would NOT succumb to their dual attack on his self control.

Seeing that Mercer was struggling with something, the red cloaked girl and the rabbit Faunus changed into confused chibis in response to his actions.

And that opened the flood gates.

"... cute," Mercer mumbled in a low voice so no one could hear before passing out and falling on his back.

The only sound that could be heard after that was Rouge and Yang laughing their heads off.

**Moments Later**

After Mercer had regained consciousness, he said he fainted from a latent effect from getting shot in the head. Rouge knew it was bullshit but kept his mouth shut for now.

Sun and Velvet sat with RWBY, JNPR, and the two mercs since their teams were not around. Mercer had found a place between Yang and Blake while Rouge sat at the end of the table. The jade eyed man had gotten a modest plate of food while the tiger Faunus had gotten a plate of nothing but bacon that was a foot tall.

"So... you are a former soldier who decided that being a huntsmen was a better path for you, and Mercer is someone you have known for years," Pyrrha asked while Rogue stuffed his face.

After he swallowed, Rouge spoke. "Yeah, Mercer here and myself have been trying to find out who is the stronger one for years. Kind of like a game, but with fighting."

Mercer was impressed with Rogue for once. The buffoon had actually come up with a believable lie on how they knew each other.

"That means... you're as good as Mercer," Jaune paled, putting together the facts.

"In a manner of speaking, yes. Although in terms of intelligence, speed, and adaptability, Mercer is superior by decades. I only beat him in raw strength."

"Cool, can you show us," Ruby asked innocently. She wanted to see how good someone who had known Mercer was.

But before Rouge could give an answer, someone come busting through the door. "A DEATHSTALKER THAT PROFESSOR PORT HAD GOT LOOSE! ITS HEADING THIS WAY!"

The individual's revelation caused Rouge to laugh. "Here's a way I can show you," he declared before downing all the bacon he had left and running out the door.

The others he sat with wasted no time in following the large tiger Faunus towards the Grimm.

A few minutes later the group found Rouge staring down the Deathstalker from twenty feet away. Ruby was about to say something before Mercer put a hand on her shoulder.

"Watch," was all he said. The young leader and the others obeyed.

Rouge cracked his fist and began to walk towards the giant scorpion. The beast saw Rouge and charged at him. The tiger Faunus responded by breaking into a run. When the two were five feet from each other, Rouge cocked his right fist back to PUNCH the Grimm.

"Well ugly... lets see you GRIT THOSE TEETH," Rouge howled with a massive toothy smile as his fist made contact with the Deathstalker's head. A split second later there was a shock-wave from the impact and all the bone armor on the Grimm began to crack. Seconds after contact, the beast fell to the ground, dead.

All the people who watched, except for Mercer, were wide eyed at Rouge's physical power. He wasn't kidding when he said he was strong, that punch was godly.

"WAIT," Rouge suddenly said. The others became tense think that something bad had happened. Rouge turned to them with a comically shocked expression. "Deathstalkers don't have teeth!"

And just like that, the shock was replaced by groans of annoyance.

Port came around the corner and saw the Grimm dead and proceeded to praise Rouge for his manly attack. Not wanting to deal with Port, Mercer and the others left to go to class. Seeing that they were leaving, Rogue came running after them.

And that was the day that somebody punched a Deathstalker to death.

**End.**

** And that was fun. A little on the short side, but it was nice to have a mostly comedic chapter after a string of serious ones.**

** I got Rogue's last name from a certain children's movie, I'd like to see if you can name it.**

** Also I made three references to other things in this chapter. The first one to guess all three right I will praise at the beginning of the next chapter.**

** I"m going to post Rouge's Bio right after this so you guys can see it. My good friend worked hard to make the tiger and we both hope you liked him.**

** Next time will be something I know A LOT of you will like.**

** Until next time, please review, comment, and PM.**

** Have a pleasant day.**


	16. Rogue Bio

**RWBY: Viper's Glare**

** Alright, as promised, here's the character bio for Rouge.**

**Name:** Rouge Shere-Khan

**Gender:** Male

**Species:** Tiger Faunus

**Age:** 17

**Height:** 6' 5"

**Weight:** 230 lbs

**Hair Color:** Orange on the top of his head, black on sides and back

**Eye Color:** Bright Orange

**Body Build:** Very muscular, similar to a football lineman

**Appearance:** A very well developed individual, Rouge has a chiseled jaw line and is built to take punishment. He towers over those around him and appears intimidating , despite his passive nature. A large scar cuts diagonally across his chest. He keeps his hair short on the sides and the top is long and left in a wild state. Rouge has long bushy sideburns that point out at the end of his jaw line that are mostly black with a few orange strips in them. On his right bicep Rogue has a red tattoo of the White Fang's old symbol.

**Insignia:** Three diagonal slash marks behind a snarling tiger head.

**Clothing:** Orange v-neck t-shirt with his insignia in black on the front, black colored jeans, leather biker boots, a dark chain like belt, and a black leather jacket that has white fur stretching around the collar and cuffs. Rogue also wears black fingerless biker gloves.

**Accessories:** A necklace made completely of Grimm teeth.

**Semblance:** **Time Alter**\- Rouge slows down time around him to move at godly speeds. When using his semblance, everything seems to be moving in slow motion for him. While he can use it for a while, prolonged use of Time Alter has the chance to overwork his heart and shut it down, killing him. **(Think of it like Quicksilver's powers from X-Men: Days of Future Past)**

**Aura Color and Properties:** Rouge's aura is orange with small amounts of red in it. It comes of his body as steam and can make his opponents fear for their lives. When he becomes angry his aura turns black and people tend to pass out in fear.

**Weapon:** **Eternal Victory**\- a massive black and orange double bladed battle-ax that transforms into a triple barreled rocket launcher. Each barrel fires a different Dust laced rock, those Dust kinds being fire, ice, and lightning. Rouge carries it on his back in its ax form. **(If you would like a reference to the ax, think the Black Knight Great-ax from the first Dark Souls)**

**Hobbies:** Rouge likes to do peaceful things such as bird watching or painting in his free time. If he can't do those, he will seek out one of his friends and want to do something with them.

**Likes:** Food, social interactions, rock music, energy drinks, trolling Mercer.

**Dislikes:** Being inactive, being alone, classical music, reading, sitting in class.

**Strengths:** Fearless, godly strength, can take more damage than most people.

**Weaknesses:** Anger issues, not the brightest person, easily distracted.

**Personality:** Rouge is incredibly energetic, happy, and perverted, he's always smiling and it's easy to get along with him. He likes to joke and will laugh at anything he finds funny. Even in battle he is laid back and has fun. But when he gets angry, all bets are off. His rage combined with his tiger blood makes him violent and impossible to control, tearing through anything that gets in his way, friend or foe alike. For that reason Rouge keeps himself happy all the time in fear of getting angry and hurting someone.

**Bio:** Rouge came from a family of elite Faunus fighters that served as the special forces in the Human-Faunus War. Members of his family were trained to be brutal and merciless in battle, but Rouge was different. He is a gentle soul who would rather find a peaceful situation to a conflict instead of solving it with violence. His mindset made him the black sheep of his family and he was mostly ignored. In response, Rouge trained himself to be the most powerful member of the Shere-Khan family to take the position as leader when he became old enough to challenge the current leader. When the White Fang became hostile, the Shere-Khans became the elite soldiers, although Rouge refrained from hurting people. They destroyed many lives during their time in the White Fang until they received a certain assignment: kill Mercer Knight. The entire family took the charge and started their hunt for Mercer. When they found him, it lead to a three day straight battle that ended with every member of the Shere-Khan family dead except for Rouge. Mercer had put a giant gash in his torso which would later become his scar. Rouge believed Mercer would finish the job, but was surprised when Mercer started to walk away. When Rogue called out asking why, Mercer said that he could see in Rouge's eye that he wasn't like the others and had no reason to kill him. Later when Rouge healed he learned that Mercer was the Viper and decided to become a mercenary himself. Every once in awhile Rouge would find Mercer on a job and set out to get Mercer to act friendlier, it never worked. When Mercer left the mercenary life Rouge took a brake from contracts until Ozpin asked him to join Beacon at Mercer's request.

** Well that's all I got for Rogue. I'll see you all next chapter.**


	17. Chapter 14

**RWBY: Viper's Glare**

** HELLO PEOPLE! I'm back with the next installment of Viper's Glare! So no one was able to get all the references from the last chapter, but you all did very well. So this chapter... man you guys are in for a lot. After this I doubt there will be a chapter of this size again. You all seemed to love Rouge and his antics, which is good, because the fool is here to stay. Also I'm going to attempt to have a song inserted into a part in here, so forgive me if I do it wrong, and please listen to the song, it will add on to the action.**

** Well lets get to it so all you can enjoy this madness. Mercer, disclaimer please?**

** Mercer: As you wish... FallenSymphony963 does not own RWBY, Roosterteeth and Monty Oum do.**

**Chapter 14: For My Friend, I Will Become Death**

Rouge quickly found himself welcome among the friends Mercer made. Ruby, Yang, and Jaune found him hilarious with his jokes and odd actions, like when he tried to cause a bucket filled with syrup to fall on Mercer's head. But the merc was able to figure out what he had planned and grabbed the bucket before it fell. Then as to be expected, Mercer walked over to the tiger Faunus and dropped it on his head. Nora and Rouge got along well if their own brand of crazy, which in turned caused more headaches for Ren and Mercer. Although Weiss and Blake found him to be slightly annoying but put up with him. Pyrrha once sparred with him and the spartan quickly learned that the large warrior was, like Mercer, incredibly advanced in combat. Rouge wasn't fast, but he hit like a train and was very resilient to attacks, just like he had described when they all first met him. But in contrast to his excellent physical prowess, Rouge was not the best in class. It wasn't that he was stupid... not completely, but was restless. Rouge was the kind of person who could not sit still for extended periods of time, it drove him mad. Right now the tiger Faunus was walking with teams RWBY and JNPR from their last class of the day. It was raining heavily today and the hallways were dark from the clouds. Mercer was not with him because he was excused from the class due to excellent grades and the fact he took the test that was today early so he could do something on his own.

"So boring... that test was a pain in the ass," Rouge whined as the group traversed the halls. He was ready to get some food then go to sleep.

"Maybe you should have paid attention in class instead of trying to shoot rubber bands at the lights," Weiss scolded as she and the others walked in front of him. The towering merc trailed behind the two teams as they headed back to the dorms. They had a few hours until dinner was served, and until then there was really nothing to do.

Until they saw a few students run past them. Now that would be normal because students would be in a hurry to make it to classes they could be late to. But classes were over and the students running were all girls. When they got closer they found more were running and they overheard some parts of conversations.

"Come one, I'm not missing this."

"I am so recording this for later tonight."

"Oh, send me that video later."

"He's so hot it should be illegal."

"I want him so bad..."

OK this was odd. When the group followed the girls they found that they were all gathering in one of the courtyards. Most of the female students were there from all grades. Even Goodwitch was their and her face was as red as a tomato. Many had their scrolls out and just about all of them were blushing. Some were even panting and drooling. When RWBY, JNPR, and Rouge pushed through and found a spot where they could see, there was a immediate reaction. Weiss and Ruby went red in the face with embarrassment, Yang had blood coming out of her nose and her eyes were glazed over in desire, Blake's eyes had shrunk like a predator and her ears stood straight up under her bow, Jaune's jaw was hanging loosely while Pyrrha was looking away, Nora had a curious look and Ren was wearing a impressed look, and finally Rouge was shaking his head at the site.

What everyone was looking at was one Mercer Knight practicing his Empty Promise. What was so eye catching was the fact he was shirtless and going through his moves out in the rain. The girls watching him drank in every detail of his soaked body. Raindrops fell down his broad shoulders onto his lean and muscular arms and were thrown off when he swung his spear. His friends other than Rouge were surprised to see he had tattoos going from his wrist all the way up to his shoulder blades. Mercer has a perfect eight pack of abs and a V line on his hips. Overall, the jade eyed man had absolutely no body fat and was toned to perfection. The water cascading down his sculpted body gave it a glistening shine that was mesmerizing to the large group of women present. Mercer glided through his moves, spinning and thrusting his deadly tool of battle as he shadowed through his techniques. The pouring rain combined with all his movements caused his hair to fall and lay in a wild method. With his hair down, Mercer looked more animalistic and his sexy body was driving all the girls crazy with the want to touch his inciting flesh. The way he moved was like a exotic dance with the flips and the twirls combined with his flexible nature was every girls wet dream. Mercer suddenly stopped and his tattoos began to glow, it was a beautiful sight how the green glowed bright making the rain look like little gemstones. The merc began to spin the spear in both hands before leaping into the air. Mercer began to flip and spin around, making him look like a green sphere. As he stopped moving he came down with a vertical slice from Empty Promise. When he made contact with the ground there was a shockwave of water signaling that he had finished his routine. The dark warrior rose slowly from his kneeling position and brought his free hand up to his face. In one swift movement Mercer pushed his hair back into its normal slicked fashion. That action was followed by the sounds of orgasmic moans rippling through the crowd of girls.

Rouge's sense of smell pick up on what just happened and the tiger Faunus shot Mercer a cocky look. _"Only you Mercer could make almost a entire school's population of girls wet themselves with one move. You are too smooth sometimes,"_ Rouge thought.

Later that night the clothes washers of Beacon would once again be filled with soiled panties and the showers would house many, many cold showers.

Mercer stood in the rain and looked around the courtyard. He knew he had been watched, but he didn't care. They didn't interrupt him, so he let them watch. The merc cast his eyes over to RWBY, JNPR, and Rouge, knowing them the best, he walked over to the group.

As the shirtless and soaked Mercer got closer, Ruby tried to look away, but her eyes kept getting drawn back. Her face was getting hot as she traced the chiseled torso of her friend. The cloaked girl wondered why she was getting flustered from seeing Mercer. He was just her friend. She spent a lot of time with him, making sure the merc wasn't drowned in the darkness. The young leader always wanted to be near Mercer... that's what friends do, right? Her innocence kept Ruby from really understanding what this feeling was.

"You sure do like to give the ladies a show Mercer," Rouge chuckled, seeing how Yang was lost in her dirty fantasies and Blake not faring much better. He swore that Mercer was just a genetic aphrodisiac to women.

"Quiet Rouge," was how Mercer responded.

"Mercer, why were you practicing in the rain," Jaune questioned.

"Being bogged down by water makes it harder to move, I practice like this so that my body can move at its normal speed at any time, even in harsh weather."

Pyrrha gave a nod. "That's a very good way to think, you would be able to battle in any condition with this kind of training," the spartan said in a understanding voice.

Just as they were going to carry on their conversation, Velvet came around the corner with a towel in hand. Mercer had run into the rabbit girl and asked if she could bring him a towel. Since it was Mercer that asked, Velvet had no trouble accepting the request. "I brought you a towel Mercer, but why did you need..." her voiced faded to silence as she saw the merc's glistening wet body. So she did what anyone in her position would do.

She fainted.

Before her body could hit the floor, Mercer quickly grabbed her. He gently placed her on the ground before drying his body off. After he was done he wrapped the towel around his neck and turned to his friends. "I'm going to carry her to the infirmary before going to bed. I will see you all tomorrow," the merc said as he picked up the unconscious bunny girl in a bridal carry and walked away. Many of the girls were jealous of Velvet and how she was pressed up to Mercer's half naked body, but they would not say anything. It was no secret that Velvet was Mercer's friend and he looked after her, and with what he did to CRDL for bullying her, they wouldn't risk getting put into Nightmare.

Eventually the crowd began to disperse and return to their daily norms. RWBY and JNPR left soon after, but not before Blake and Yang went to different girls and got a copy of the video of Mercer training. Rouge was the last one to leave, he was deep in thought about how the future would unfold.

_"Mercer... I hope that the reason you brought me here never happens. You're a heavy influence on many people. Gods help them if they ever see the darkness you carry."_

**Next Day**

Mercer sat with team RWBY in Professor Peach's class listening to a lecture on the various kinds of Dust used in combat. Rouge was in another class with JNPR at the time. The Professor had explain fire, ice, lightning, and other various kinds of Dust. Now he stood in front of a glass case with a cloth over it.

"Now, while there are many kinds of Dust used by huntsmen and others, there is one and only one kind of Dust that is illegal to use. Can anyone tell me what that Dust is," he asked the class.

Weiss' hand shot straight up. "It's Corruption Dust sir," the heiress stated with confidence. Since her family's company is the largest supplier of Dust in the world, Weiss knows more about Dust than most people.

Peach nodded. "That's correct Miss Schnee," the teacher paused and removed the cloth. Inside the case was a solid black Dust crystal. The gem had a sinister green glow oozing off of it. Even in a glass case, the students could still feel the evil power radiating from the Dust. "Corruption Dust is without a doubt the most powerful kind of Dust in the world. Its main focus is to enhance the user in every aspect of their being, from their physical and mental abilities to their semblance. For all intensive purposes you could say it makes the user a god. But there is a very valid reason Corruption Dust is banned from use. Despite all its positive abilities, it has one fatal drawback," Peach stopped and looked at the paled faces of his students, when his eyes came to Mercer he noticed that the jade eyed man was impassively staring at the Dust crystal. "Corruption Dust eats away at the mind of the user, driving them to a state of madness. Those who have used Corruption Dust in the past went insane and developed a insatiable bloodlust. In time those people had to be put down like a Grimm. That is why its use has been banned."

_**"Wow he pegged you right on the money Viper,"**_ Mercer's instincts said with a chuckle. The merc payed the crazy voice no mind and continued his stare down of the Corruption Dust. It had been years since he last saw any of it that wasn't in his body. Even now... the little black gem with its dark powers called to him.

"Professor, has there ever been a case of someone successfully using Corruption Dust," Ruby asked.

Peach glanced at Mercer before answering. He figured it would be alright since no one knew he was the Viper in this class, or so he thought. "There... is one case. There is a mercenary who has Corruption Dust bonded to his skin and flowing in his bloodstream. There have been no reports of this man going insane and it has been found that he has control of the Dust. He is known as the Viper," Peach answered.

Mercer flinched slightly at his codename being called. _"Not insane yet,"_ he added in his head. He did have control of the Corruption Dust in his body, but the madness was creeping in, faster than even he knew.

When Blake heard Professor Peach say Viper, she paled. She remembered how Mercer said the White Fang had bonded Dust to him against his will, but the amber eyed woman never expected this. When she looked at Mercer, Blake couldn't help but wonder if he was really in control of his mind. She loved him, and Blake would never want Mercer to end up a psychotic murderer.

The bell rang and Peach walked out of the room. The other students followed soon after and the only people left in the room was team RWBY and Mercer.

"I can't believe someone can control that Dust. This Viper guy must be unimaginably strong," Ruby said to her team and friend. Her scroll went off so she pulled it out to check it while the others continued to talk.

"Yeah, strong for a walking timebomb," Weiss snarled.

Blake began to worry more. Mercer was right next to them. She didn't want his secret to get out.

"I agree with Ruby. Hey Mercer, you're super strong, maybe you are the Viper," Yang joked. If only she knew the truth.

_**"HA, if only Blondie knew she was right on the money."**_

"Don't say something stupid Yang. Mercer is in no way a bloodthirsty monster, he's just very advanced," Weiss snapped.

_**"Gods this rich, they're sitting right NEXT to the Viper and they don't even know it. Fucking hilarious!"**_

Blake felt trapped, Mercer was not a monster, but she couldn't defend him without giving away the fact that Mercer was the Viper. Luckily she wouldn't have to because Ruby cut in with some news.

"I just got a message from Professor Ozpin, he wants team RWBY to come to his office for something. We'll see you later Mercer," she said before leaving the room. Yang and Weiss said their goodbyes to the merc and followed Ruby. Only Blake was left with Mercer in the classroom.

The cat Faunus turned to say something to Mercer, but he cut her off. "I know what you are going to say Blake. I'm fine, I have complete control over and I am not offended by the others. They don't know and I want to keep it that way as long as possible. So don't worry... you should go and see what Ozpin needs," the merc said with a small smile. He didn't want Blake to be distracted from what she and the others were called up for.

Blake blushed and smiled back. His words had soothed her worry. She nodded her head and said her goodbyes and ran off to join her team.

When Blake was long gone Mercer's smile faded away and he walked up to the case containing the Corruption Dust. He placed his hand on the glass and the green energy coming from the crystal floated up to touch were his hand was.

_**"You're a dirty liar Viper,"**_ his instincts said, a slight joy in the dark warrior's actions.

Mercer didn't deny it. He lied through his teeth to Blake. His mind was breaking, in fact he was closer to that madness than even he knew. But the merc would not ruin his friend's mood by letting her know the truth. Mercer shook his head and walked away from the Dust. As he walked out the door, his scroll went off.

**With RWBY**

"I'm sure you wondered why I called you up here," Ozpin questioned team RWBY. The four girls nodded. "Well I'd like you four to go and deal with a small flock of Nevermores that are nesting in the mountains just outside of Vale. I'd like for you all to go and remove the threat they have on us and the people," the headmaster stated.

The quartet became shocked at the assignment they were given. "Um, Professor... isn't that a lot for just us to do. Plus we're just freshmen, this sounds like something a team of seniors would get assigned to, let alone just us," Ruby inquired, showing the concern of the whole team.

Ozpin let out a small chuckle. "My dear... who said it would be just you four?" Ozpin motioned towards his door. When it opened, team RWBY was surprised and grateful at who walked in.

"I'm telling you, The Achieve Men rock, you should listen to them," Rouge declared to Mercer as they walked into Ozpin's office.

"No thanks... too upbeat for me, I like hard rock music," Mercer said in a impassive voice.

"You're just not willing to branch out some."

Ozpin and team RWBY just watched as the two most dangerous mercenaries in the world bicker over their tastes in music. When the duo noticed who was in the office, Rouge put on a ear splitting grin and waved at them. Mercer nodded to them as he and Rouge took their places beside them.

"Mr. Knight, Mr. Shere-Khan, you two will assist team RWBY in eliminating a flock of Nevermores in the nearby mountain range," Ozpin relayed to the two mercs.

"Understood," Mercer deadpanned.

"Gotcha Oz-man," Rouge said with a thumbs up, followed by Mercer stepping on his foot.

Ozpin looked at the six in front of him. The four young women were one of the most talented teams he'd ever seen, the towering tiger Faunus was so strong he could kill a Deathstalker with on punch, and then there was Mercer, the immortal Viper. "The airship is already at the docks, go collect your gear and head straight there," the gray haired man ordered. This was not too difficult to handle with their skills. He suspected they would be able to handle this assignment easily.

If only the headmaster of Beacon knew what else roamed those mountains.

**Outside**

Mercer and Rouge wasted no time in preparing themselves for the mission they were given. In five minutes they had changed into their combat attire and were waiting by the airship. Rouge sat on a nearby bench and sharpened the blades of his ax, Eternal Victory, while Mercer leaned against a wall with a book in his hand. The two mercs had a few more minutes before the girls of RWBY showed up and they would head to the mountains.

Rouge looked at his partner, seeing that he was his usual stoic self, thought he's strike up a conversation. "So Mercer, you think this will be a cakewalk," the tiger asked.

Mercer just shifted his eyes over to Rouge. "Nothing is ever a cakewalk when it comes to either of us," he stated.

"True, we seem to get the worst kind of shit to deal with. But hey, we're badasses, stuff like that happens all the time. Although... I do have a bad feeling this time," the larger merc said in a uncharacteristic serious tone.

"So you have it to?"

"Yeah, we should watch out for the girls, this might turn into something they can't handle."

Mercer nodded in agreement, he would not allow harm to befall on is friends.

Team RWBY showed up almost instantly after their conversation ended. The six quickly boarded the airship and took off.

**Mountains**

The ride to their destination was fairly quick. Ruby talked to Weiss throughout the ride, Rouge spoke to Yang about The Achieve Men, Blake read a book for most of the time until she got tired and feel asleep while leaning her head on Mercer's shoulder, who had his eyes closed and was in deep thought. The black haired woman's actions earned jealous looks from Yang and surprisingly Ruby. The blonde brawler quickly moved sat on the other side of Mercer and rested her head on the opposite shoulder. She quickly fell asleep with a smile on her face. Rouge, seeing the opportunity, took out his scroll and snapped a picture to use on Mercer later. When they arrived at the mountains they were set down about three miles from the area the Nevermore nest was located. The six quickly moved towards the location and stopped on top of a ridge above a rocky valley. In the valley was three giant nest that each had a Nevermore roosting there. On top of those three there was another one perched on a rock about half a mile away from the second nest. The six pulled back some and prepared their weapons before huddling in a circle.

"Alright, there are four Nevermores here and Ozpin's surveillance counted six. So that means two are off somewhere else. Any ideas on how to best approach," Mercer suggested, while he could devise a strategy best fit for this situation, he wanted to give team RWBY more experience.

Ruby was in deep thought before she spoke up. "It would be best to split up and try to take them all by surprise. Me and Weiss can take the one at the first nest, Yang and Blake can take the one at the third nest. Mercer, you and Rouge are capable of taking on a Nevermore by yourselves, So one of you can take the second nest and the other can get the one on the rock. If we time this right we can take out all four of them at once," the red cloaked girl theorized.

The others pondered on the young girl's plan and they all nodded.

"Good plan Little Red," Rouge complimented with a toothy grin.

"Well done Ruby," Mercer praised, causing the girl in question to blush.

They were all ready to move into position when a fifth Nevermore came from below the ridge they were on. It must have been out of their site earlier and it heard them. The Nevermore cawed out and alerted the other four.

Seeing no other option, Rouge took action. "Slight change to the plan, still fight in pairs, just no sneak attack," he howled before turning his ax in a triple barreled rocket launcher. He aimed the launcher and fire rockets right into the Nevermore's face. Fire, ice, and lightning Dust triggered when the rockets made contact. The combined force killed the Nevermore instantly. As its body fell, Rouge ran to the ridge's edge and used his launcher to propel himself at the Nevermore on the rock.

The others wasted no time and rushed at the Grimm.

**Ruby and Weiss**

With the combination of Ruby's speed and Weiss' glyphs, the two easily reached the first Nevermore. The giant bird cawed as it stood in the nest and began to flap its wings. The next instant the Nevermore sent razor sharp feathers at the two girls. The duo quickly avoided the feathers as Ruby started to shoot rounds at the Grimm. The Nevermore screeched in pain as it began to flap its wings more, getting ready to take to the air. "Weiss," Ruby yelled. The heiress knew the plan and used her glyphs to launch herself at the Grimm. When she was close, she use Myrtenaster to freeze the left wing of the Nevermore. As the bird landed back on the ground, Ruby used her semblance to get underneath it. The young leader then points Crescent Rose at the ground and fires to send herself into the air. As she passes the Nevermore, Ruby swings her scythe and cuts the Grimm's throat. By the time Ruby has landed back on the ground, the Nevermore has bleed out and died.

One down, three to go.

**Blake and Yang**

The blonde and cat Faunus slid down a rockwall and dashed at the third Nevermore. Yang started shooting at the Grimm and Blake picked up her speed and used her after images to confuse it. The bird was too busy trying eye Blake that it didn't notice Yang jump at it. The blonde cocked her fist back and landed a right hook into the Grimm's shoulder. Yang shot a round from her Ember Ceclia into the the spot and shattered the beast shoulder into pieces. When Yang landed on the ground, Blake ran past her and threw Gambol Shroud at the Nevermore in its kusari-gama form. The chain-scythe wrapped around the giant bird's neck and the blade latched itself into it's skin. Unable to flap its wing, the Nevermore was pulled onto the ground head first. Yang finished the Grimm off with a slammed punch empowered by her semblance down on its head.

Halfway there.

**Rouge**

"WHOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOO," Rouge yelled as he soared through the air towards the perched Nevermore. By then the Grimm had seen him and taken flight, straight at the airborne tiger. As it was about to capture Rouge in its beak, the ax-wielding warrior twisted his body so he would fly right above the bird's head. Just as he passed over, Rouge reached out and grabbed onto the back of the Nevermore's neck. Firmly latched on, the merc held on for dear life as the Grimm began to fly and spin, trying to shake him off. When the beast leveled out from exhaustion, Rouge jumped up and stood right on its head. Rouge raised Eternal Victory above his head and began to channel his aura into it. "Nice knowing you pigeon bitch," Rouge said with a sadistic smile as he brought the glowing ax down on the Nevermore. The power that was carried behind the ax split the Grimm's head completely in half. The corpse began to fall down to the earth at high speeds, but Rouge just stood there on the dead monster with his arms crossed as the Nevermore continued to to plummet. Just before the crash, Rouge jumped off the body and he landed five feet from where the corpse landed.

The tiger yawned. "I'm hungry," he said in a bored tone.

Three dead, one left.

**Mercer**

While the others rushed their targets, Mercer simply walked towards the Nevermore he was supposed to slay. His left hand was in his pocket and his right was holding Empty Promise in its spear form at his side. Mercer's target, which was coincidentally the largest of the five Nevermores, did not take to the sky. The Grimm puffed out its chest and stood proudly in front of Mercer. When the merc was standing straight in front of it, he released his aura and closed his eyes while his tattoos began to glow. The Nevermore let out a screech right in front of Mercer, as if challenging the jade eyed man. Mercer responded by opening his now completely green eyes. **"Nightmare,"** he stated. Now while Mercer's semblance allows him to torture and kill people in their minds, his power simply paralyzes Grimm in place. With the giant bird frozen like a statue, Mercer strolled up underneath the Grimm and transformed his spear into its double barreled rifle form. Not even taking his left hand out of his pocket, the merc raised Empty Promise straight up and fired once before walking away. No less than a second later the Nevermore fell to the ground dead, two parallel bullet holes on the underside of its head.

When all the Grimm were dead, the six huntsmen met in the middle of the valley.

"That was easier than expected," Weiss said.

"Yeah, we're awesome," Yang and Ruby chimed.

"I guess we've gotten better since we last fought a Nevermore," Blake said with a smile.

"I still got a bad feeling," Rouge mumbled as he reloaded Eternal Victory.

Mercer kept scanning the sky, he was sharing the same feeling as his partner. "Be ready... there's still one more..."

The sound of cawing drew their attention to the north. The last Nevermore was flying straight at them from fifty miles away. The six warriors got back into their combat stances and prepared to finish their mission.

But this assignment would become significantly more difficult.

As the Nevermore was about to enter the valley, a massive black blur shot up like it came from hell and took the bird Grimm. The huntsmen were shocked and confused at what just happened, but the thing that snatched the Nevermore soon landed on a ridge above the valley. When the six finally saw what it was, they froze. As they looked upon the the Nevermore's killer all the color drained from Blake's face, Weiss' legs became weak and she dropped to the ground, Yang was shaking uncontrollably, Crescent Rose slipped from Ruby's hand and fell to the ground, Rouge had a weak smile, and Mercer's eyes narrowed as a single bead of sweat fell from his brow. Even Mercer's instincts began cursing at the sight.

What had them all frozen in place was a massive black dragon that was eating the final Nevermore. It's scales were the deepest black one could ever imagine, white spikes covered the elbows and knees and traveled up the upper half of its arms and legs and stopped at the hips and shoulders. Enormous wings were covered in white spines and angry red veins littered the soft leathery skin that allowed flight. The monster had a long pointed tail that had white spiky fins traveling from the tip of the tail to the base of the head. Speaking of the head, it was large and two long black horns that came out right above the eyes and the mask and shot forward towards its snout. The mask itself covered the entire top of the head and had holes for the eyes, nostrils, and horns. Red marking littered the pure white mask and evil blood colored eyes stared at them. As the beast finished eating the Nevermore, it turned to Mercer and the others. It growled and showed its mouthful of bloodstained teeth before letting out a deep nightmarish roar and expanding its wings.

This monster was a Skybreaker, the most dangerous and rarest species of Grimm in all of Remnant. These black dragons were top of the food chain, able to kill anything in the world with their white flames that burned everything.. Their max size was over a hundred meters long and thirty five meters tall. The species had a great hunger combined with unmatched rage and bloodlust. The Skybreakers normally take entire battalions of hunters just to take one down. The only saving grace was that there were few of them in the world, they did not breed often. But one of the dragons was more than a match for any of them, even Mercer. The only comfort they had was this one was still young, it wasn't as big or nearly as powerful as a full grown one.

Ruby continued to stare at the winged demon. "... d-dragon."

"We are not ready for this," Weiss stated as all hope drained from her body.

Blake stepped backwards. "A Skybreaker... here?"

Yang had tears welling up in her eyes. "Well... at least we can die together..." she fake joked, having lost the will to move.

Rouge just snarled. "I FUCKING KNEW SOMETHING WOULD HAPPEN! GODAMNIT I NEED TO SHUT UP."

Mercer stared at the dragon Grimm and then his companions. "Just our luck," he muttered. His friends had given up and the monster could attack at any moment. He needed to get them back to reality.

Mercer stepped in front of the other five and faced the Skybreaker. The merc released his aura and stood tall in front of the harbinger of death. The familiar feeling of cold dense air snapped team RWBY and Rouge out of their moods. They simply stared as Mercer stood fearless in the face of the dragon.

The dark hunter looked back at the four girls and the tiger Faunus. "Run... get back to Beacon... warn Ozpin... I'll hold it back as long as I can."

The quartet of girls gained looks of pure horror at his command. "What are you saying Mercer! If we run than you'll..." Ruby didn't dare finish her sentence. She didn't want to imagine the outcome.

The merc did not look back at his friends.

"... I won't go down without a fight."

Team RWBY felt on the verge of tears. Mercer was ready to die to give them a chance to escape.

But that would not go as planned.

A hand found its place on Mercer's shoulder. When the jade eyed man turned to the side, Rouge was flashing him a wide smile. "Don't think you're gonna go out in a blaze of glory alone buddy. You're my partner, that means we're in it together until the end. Plus..." Rouge trailed off and his orange aura became black and covered him like dark flames. His face contorted in rage, his feature becoming feral and more animalistic. "This fucker made my friend want to sacrifice himself... that is enough reason for me to want to GUT THIS BASTARD," the tiger bellowed in anger. Rouge's enraged state was powerful and could make the weak hearted pass out from fear. The two mercenaries would fight and die together if necessary.

Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang couldn't believe what was happening, Rouge was doing the same as Mercer. The four stared at the backs of the mercenaries as the auras danced around them and their weapons were prepped for battle. Ruby looked at her team, who nodded back at her. There was only one thing they could do now.

Mercer was so busy trying to come up with a plan that he didn't notice RWBY join him and Rouge. His eyes widened when he finally caught onto them. "What are you doing? I said leave."

Ruby smiled at her worried friend. "Sorry Mercer, you're stuck with us."

"She's right, we won't let you fight this thing by yourselves," the heiress said as she brandished her rapier.

Blake took out Gambol Shroud and looked at the merc. "You are our friends, both of you, we will not let you die."

"Skybreaker or not, this thing is going down," Yang said with a smirk as her hair started to glow.

Rouge looked at the four girls and smiled. They were willing to die with Mercer, that was proof enough to see what was going on. _"Guess I can call you a Harem man now, eh Mercer," _the tiger Faunus thought. If they lived through this, he would get a lot of entertainment in the future.

Nothing could prevent the smile that graced Mercer's face. His precious people were going to stand by him against certain death. The Viper felt something in his heart that had been absent for years resurface, and it wiped away any doubt he had.

The feeling of having a family once again.

The Skybreaker roared once again and took to the air. The six huntsmen prepared for their greatest challenge. They did not have time to come up with a strategy, this thing was too fast and too clever. The dragon swooped down into the valley and breathed white fire onto the ground. Mercer and the others scattered to avoid the flames. The beast landed on the other side of the valley and began to walk towards them with a almost royal arrogance about it. Rouge began to dash at the Grimm, firing rockets with each step. The explosions seemed to annoy the dragon, but did not stop it. while Rouge had it distracted, Weiss began to skirt around using her glyphs and get closer to it. Focusing as much power as she could, the white haired girl froze the left front leg with as much ice as she could. The Skybreaker responded by launching flames at the heiress, but she moved away quickly. While the Grimm was focused on Weiss, Blake climbed onto its back and began to slash at it. The dragon roared and tried to shake her off, but couldn't since it was trapped.

"Yang! Lets get it," Rouge yelled. The blonde nodded and began to run alongside the large merc towards the Skybreaker. Thankfully Blake had the Grimm focused on her so it wasn't aware to the two powerhouses approaching it. Yang rushed under the Grimm while Rouge jumped above it. In unison using all their power, Yang delivered a flaming uppercut to the dragon's bottom jaw while Rouge brought his ax down on its skull. Yang's punch caused the Skybreaker to rear its head back and Rouge managed to cut off one of its horns. The dragon roared in pain and slumped its head down, exhaustion was overtaken it and those who had landed blows against it. To the six's surprise, they were faring well against the the winged monster, but was tiring just to do as much damage as they could. Ruby saw a chance to go for a finishing blow. Summoning as much strength as she could, the scythe-wielder used her speed to rocket herself right at the Skybreaker, ready to take its head.

But that would not happen.

The dragon gained a confident look in its eyes and Mercer knew something was wrong. "RUBY WAIT, IT KNOWS," the merc yelled and tried to catch up to Ruby. But he was not fast enough.

The Skybreaker broke the ice around its limb and reared back. The dragon began to flap its wings and produce gale force winds. Mercer stabbed Empty Promise into the ground to hold himself in place, Blake was thrown back when the Grimm began to move and impacted against a nearby rock, Yang lost her footing and was lifted into the air and launched straight into Weiss. Both girls were knocked to the ground. The Skybreaker swiped its tail and firmly bashed Rouge. The tiger Faunus was sent rocketing into a rockwall.

The wind caused Ruby to slow and skid to a stopping point. When she ceased moving, she looked up to find the Skybreaker staring at her. The dragon had its teeth bared and was preparing to bite down on the red hooded girl.

"RUBY," Yang, Weiss, Blake, and Rouge who had peeled himself out of the wall yelled. They were all too far away and too slow to reach the young leader in time. All any of them could do was watch.

Ruby couldn't move, she was paralyzed in fear. The young leader knew there was no way to avoid death now. She closed her eyes and readied to meet her mother again. Then she thought of her friends, she knew they'd be sad. But they at least had a chance to live on.

The Skybreaker shot its head down, jaws open ready to consume the girl with the red hood.

But death was not her fate.

After a minute Ruby opened her eyes, thinking her death was painless. But to her surprise she was still in the mountain valley and was very much alive. When she looked to the Skybreaker, she found that someone had stopped it.

Mercer.

The jade eyed warrior was holding the dragon by its mouth, his left arm was holding the top jaw and his left leg was placed on the bottom jaw. Mercer's right leg was on the ground balancing his hold on the Grimm's head.

Everyone was floored by Mercer having stopped the Skybreaker with his bare hands.

The merc grit his teeth. It was taking all his physical strength to hold the Grimm back. But he would not let this monster take someone from him, he would NOT lose someone again. Mercer pushed his aura into levels the others have never seen before. "You... will never... TAKE SOMEONE WHO IS PRECIOUS TO ME," the dark hunter declared at the top of his lungs. Mercer spun his spear in his hand and changed it into the rifle. After that he pushed the gun into the dragon's mouth and channeled all his aura into Empty Promise. When Mercer pulled the trigger, the twin barrels released aura charged bullets into the Grimm. There was a explosion of green in the Skybreaker's mouth and the beast let out a cry of pain before it reared its head back. Mercer wasted no time. He grabbed Ruby by he hood and with all the strength he had left, threw the small girl to her sister. Ruby's eyes widened as she traveled in the air. Mercer was smiling at her, but it wasn't a happy smile, it was the kind of smile that meant only one thing:

Goodbye.

When Yang caught Ruby, they all looked back at Mercer and the Skybreaker. The Grimm had was recovered and was furious at the suit wearing human. It raised its right front leg and the claws became engulfed in white flames. Not a second later, the dragon brought its claws down on Mercer. A explosion of fire followed.

The world stopped for the other five. Twice. This was the second time team RWBY watched Mercer take a fatal blow and Rouge had lost count of the times he had seen. But this time seemed... permanent. Mercer was unable to be seen in the crater the strike had made. The Skybreaker rose its head to the heavens and released a roar of victory before walking towards its other prey.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO," Ruby wailed, this couldn't be happening. Not again... she couldn't watch him die again. But he wasn't getting up this time. The others weren't faring much better, even Rouge was shocked at this, and he'd seen Mercer go through many bad attacks. The dragon continued to walk towards them, ready to finish them all.

Mercer laid in the deepest part of the crater, the center, trying to force himself up. His aura was able to prevent the flames from doing any damage, but the impact still caused pain. The right sleeve of both his coat and shirt were ripped off completely and his left arm was like that to the elbow. His tie was gone and the coat, vest, and shirt were unbuttoned as well. His black pants were torn in many places as well. Blood was coming from his mouth and most of his bones were broken. But he was alive. His wounds were healing slowly, much to his disdain. Mercer knew the dragon would go after the others now, he needed to get up and fight. But his body was not doing what he wanted. He felt helpless for the second time in his life. Mercer couldn't bear to lose any more people he cared for.

_**"Viper..."**_ his instincts called out in a neutral tone.

_"I don't have time to deal with you right now..."_

_**"I realize that idiot. I want to help you."**_

Mercer was taken back by the voice of madness's helpful nature. _"... what's the catch?"_

**_ "No catch, I have my reasons for helping_**_._**_"_**

_ "Such as?"_

_**"I don't care about your friends, but I'll be damned if we die at the hands of a overgrown salamander."**_

_"You just want it dead, that's all?"_

**_"Yes... and as proof of my cooperation, you can use __it__ without me trying to degrade your mind. Don't think I won't try in the future though, this is a one time thing."_**

Mercer could barely believe what he was hearing. Well the merc wasn't going to pass this chance up. With it, he can save his friends.

_"I know you don't care, but thank you. Now... for the sake of my friends... I WILL BECOME DEATH!"_

As the Skybreaker continued walk towards Ruby and the others when a colossal pillar of green and black aura shot up into the sky from the crater Mercer was in. The five huntsmen and the dragon itself turned to the pillar of pure energy and watched as the pillar turned into two massive black and green angelic wings before exploding in a flash of light. When the light died down a solitary figure walked out of the crater. It was someone that brought hope to the five.

Mercer Knight.

But he wasn't his normal self. The tattoos glowed more intensely and his aura had shrunk and formed itself on top of Mercer's skin, making it look like his skin was pitch black except for the tattoos. Green aura was radiating from his body like sharp blades of wind. But the greatest change was in the eyes. His scelera and pupils had turned green and the irises were now black.

"What... how is he doing that," Weiss asked, her teammates still enraptured by Mercer's form.

She was answered by the sound of laughter.

Four heads shot to the side to see Rouge laughing like a madman. "I don't believe it! You're willing to use that form Mercer? Man, you really are some kind of god," Rouge said to himself, but loud enough for the girls to hear.

Ruby walked over to the tiger Faunus. "What is Mercer doing?"

"Getting ready to kick ass. We don't have to worry about fighting anymore, Mercer's got this," he answered.

The other three girls joined them. "What do you mean, what is Mercer using," Yang asked.

Rouge looked back a his partner and the grin he had got wider. "Aura Drive."

Aura Drive was the most advanced technique a hunter or huntress could use. It allows the user to call upon their true potential for a limited time. A person's semblance determines how one's Aura Drive works, so its impossible to know the inner working of the ability unless you unlock it. Usually only master huntsmen can use Aura Drive, the fact that Mercer can use this powerful technique show how talented he is.

The Skybreaker's attention was fully on Mercer now. The dragon and the merc began to circle each other until they were standing opposite of each other. The duel would now begin.

**(Play The Offspring- You're Gonna Go Far Kid)**

Mercer took one step towards the dragon and disappeared form sight. Seconds later he appeared and sliced through the torso of the Grimm. It roared in pain and went to slash Mercer with its claws, but Mercer jumped up and delivered a spinning kick to the Grimm's face. The monster flinched and tried to launch a fireball at Mercer. But to no avail. The merc spun his spear in his hands before cutting the fireball in half, causing two explosions to appear behind Mercer. The dragon took this chance to take to the skies and fly around, believing it now had the advantage in this fight. But Mercer continued to outdo himself as he joined the beast in the sky, smaller versions of those angel wings from before attached to his back. The two began to soar around striking at each other at any moment. Strike after strike they went at it. Mercer's Aura Drive absorbing the damage. Each moment the dragon gained another wound and Mercer remained unscathed.

Rouge watched the display with his arms crossed while the girls watched in awe. Mercer's Aura Drive was a beautiful sight to see. He flew around and stabbed at the Skybreaker while avoiding the monster's attacks.

"Amazing..." Blake said as she watched the dance of the two gods, her eyes trying to keep up with Mercer's mach speed movements.

"He never ceases to amaze does he," Weiss scoffed, but inside she was happy that the jade eyed man was fine and fighting.

"I want to reward him when this is over," Yang cooed in a seductive manner. The others glared at how bold she was. But they really weren't surprised, this was Yang after all.

Ruby looked from her sister back up to Mercer, her hand unconsciously going over her heart. _"Be careful Mercer..."_

Mercer blocked another fireball from the dragon, this fight had dragged on long enough. **"I'm tired of you, it's time you went to hell,"** Mercer said in a echoing voice. The merc dodged another slash from the Skybreaker and threw Empty Promise into the part of the shoulder that connected to the left wing. Crippled, the dragon roared in pain as it plummeted to the ground. It hit the valley with a loud crash, when the smoke cleared the Grimm was laying on the ground, Mercer's spear in its wing. The dark hunter flew up higher and dismissed the wings he had before gathering his aura in his right hand. The aura began to morph into a long shape.

_"This move is going to take all I got to use it. Give me the power to kill this bastard... mother,"_ Mercer said to himself. As the aura finished it's transformation, it took the form of a twenty foot spear with a crossed shaped guard. Mercer leaned his arm back and shot himself and the energy spear towards the Grimm. As he descended for his finishing attack, images flashed in his mind.

Velvet.

Rouge.

Yang.

Blake.

Weiss.

… and Ruby.

He would protect them all. They were his precious people. Mercer would fight the entire world just to protect them. And for that reason, he will use his ultimate attack... his mother's signature move.

**"SHATTERED HEAVEN!"**

Shattered Heaven was the giant spear Mercer now held. It was the condensed pure aura that Mercer generated made real. The force behind the spear is enough to destroy half of a kingdom, but Mercer was already weakened before he used it, although it was more than enough to kill the dragon Grimm.

A massive explosion of black and green blanketed the area when Mercer landed on the Skybreaker, the others had to cover their eyes or risk going blind. When the light died down, it was shown that the aura spear had impaled the dragon through the heart. Mercer was standing by the head of the Grimm, Empty Promise in hand and his Aura Drive was deactivated. It was over.

**(End Music)**

The Skybreaker stared at Mercer and released one last growl before its head hit the ground and the life left its body. Mercer felt relief wash over his body. Using his Aura Drive and Shattered Heaven together drained him completely. He felt his legs give out and his body pitch forward. But he didn't hit the ground. Mercer opened one eye to see Rouge had caught him and now had slung his arm over the Faunus' shoulder.

"You sure know how to make a grand finale don't you Mercer," the tiger sarcastically remarked as the walked away from the corpse..

Mercer chuckled lightly. "Shut up... or I'll take away you yarn ball..." he joked, causing Rouge to burst into laughter.

When the two reached team RWBY, Yang and Blake bombarded him with worry and questions. The weakened merc just answered their questions the best he could before Ruby walked up. Her eyes were hiding her hair and she didn't say anything before she slapped Mercer, shocking everyone.

"Why..." she nearly whispered. Ruby then lifted her head and showed that tears were running down her face. "Why did you push me out of the way? You could've died for real this time! I was so scared..."

Mercer looked at the shaking girl and brought his hand up to her face and wiped away her tears. Ruby looked to see Mercer was giving her a angelic smile. "Ruby... you are precious to me... I would do this a thousand times over just to keep you safe." Mercer's declaration caused all for girls to blush, but Ruby was redder than her hood.

The tired warrior looked back up at Rouge. "Call for the airship... I need a nap," and with that Mercer passed out. The girls were worried until they heard soft breathing coming from the merc. Rouge did as told and ten minutes later they were on the airship heading back to Beacon.

**Later**

Mercer was placed in the school infirmary for aura exhaustion, but other than that he was fine. The others received medical attention for their injuries. Ozpin and Goodwitch came in to check on their students once they were all bandaged up. Ozpin apologized for putting them in such a dangerous situation while Goodwitch ran her hand through Mercer's silky hair. The headmaster informed team RWBY and Rouge that Mercer would be up and moving in about two days. With their fears set aside, the five students left, leaving the two teachers alone with the sleeping Mercer.

"He is full of surprises, isn't he," Glynda said, not taking her attention away from Mercer.

Ozpin looked down at the merc. "It's no surprise he can use Shattered Heaven, he is her son after all."

The blonde smiled at the memory of her old friend. "Natasha would be so proud of him."

Ozpin smiled as he walked out of the room. "Yes she would."

Goodwitch quickly gave Mercer a kiss on the forehead before joining her employer.

Later in the middle of the night Ruby snuck into the infirmary and sat in the chair next to Mercer's bed. She traced the tattoos on his arms as he slept, remembering something her mother once told her.

_"Love is a wonderful thing Ruby. When you find the person you love, they will be the whole world to you. Never let them go my Little Rose, never."_

Her mother's words rang deep in her heart. It took time, but Ruby finally realized why she wanted to always be with Mercer and why she felt jealous when other girls were around him. The young girl carefully moved her hand up to his face and leaned in. She gently kissed Mercer's lips as he slept. Ruby noted how he tasted like coffee, but she liked it.

After two minutes of kissing Mercer, Ruby pulled way from the sleeping merc with a blush on her face. "I love you Mercer, wake up soon so I can tell you again and again," Ruby confessed. She was deeply in love with her closest friend, and she liked it that way. Ruby stood up and looked at the peaceful form of Mercer once more before returning to her dorm, thoughts filled with love.

** END!**

** God that took FOREVER... but was so worth it.**

** With this chapter I can announce BloodRose, the RubyxMercer pairing. Just two more to go now.**

** A lot of you have been asking for Ruby to get in on the love, so here it is you rabid fans!**

** No idea if I will ever write a chapter this long again... took and entire week to do.**

** Anyway... hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I tried to make the fight scenes better this time but I am unsure if I did well. Also if the music add on did not work, feel free to let me know.**

** Please remember to review, comment, and PM.**

** See you all next time.**


	18. Chapter 15

**RWBY: Viper's Glare**

** You know what... I'm just gonna flat out say it. I love you guys. Chapter 14 got over 2000 views in less than half an hour, I'm still floored by how well received it was. You all really seemed to like how it balanced different themes and how the battles were handled. I guess taking a whole week to write the chapter was worth it. But anyway, thank all of you for the wonderful messages and reviews that were sent to me, really touched my heart. You BloodRose fans were very happy from what I read. So enough chit-chat, lets move on. Unfortunately this chapter will not action heavy. Just bear with it for the sake of plot development. But on a positive note... you all will be laughing quite a bit.**

** No use in delaying it further, time to start!**

** Disclaimer: I own only Mercer and the rights to the other OCs.**

**Chapter 15: Mercer's Free Day**

True to Ozpin's word, Mercer woke up two days after the Skybreaker incident. Though how it was discovered he was awake could have been better. Basically how it went was team RWBY walked in to find the merc gone and they began to panic. They ran through the school looking for him. Eventually they found him, in the dining hall of all places. The merc was wearing the uniform pants and white shirt, and that was it. He didn't have the coat or vest, the tie was nowhere to be seen, half the buttons on the shirt were undone allowing his chest to be seen, and to top it off... he had no shoes on. Mercer happened to be sitting on a table with a cup off coffee in one hand and his head in the other. His hair was a mess and there were bags under his eyes. Overall the jade eyed man looked he was recovering from a hangover. When the for girls came and inquired about his state of well-being, he responded that he woke up at about one in the morning and couldn't get to back to sleep, so he walked his grouchy self back to his room and lazily put on clothes before walking to the dining hall and downing five cups of coffee. The four girls sat and watched as he sucked up another two cups before walking back to his room and sleeping the rest of the day. How he did that after drinking seven cups of coffee, they had no idea.

That was on Sunday, Monday just gave Mercer even more of a headache.

**Monday Morning**

Mercer woke up at his normal time of 5:30 and went through his normal ritual of bathing and getting dressed before sitting down at his desk and reading one of his books. Only today at about 7:30 someone knocked at his door. When he got up to answer it, he found Rouge standing there with his normal overgrown smile plastered on his face.

"Hey partner, how you feeling," the tiger Faunus asked the Dust-enhanced human.

"... fine," Mercer answered in a emotionless tone.

Rouge just sighed. Mercer wasn't that chatty in the morning. "So I was thinking we could get RWBY and JNPR and head to breakfast early so we don't have to wait in line."

Mercer stared at his fellow former merc before letting out a sigh and nodding. He quickly walked back into his room and gathered the things he would need for the day. After that the two walked over to the respective doors of teams RWBY and JNPR. Rouge knocked on JNPR's dorm and Jaune with a very bad case of bed-head opened the door.

"Morning Jaune, me and Mercer wanted to see if you guys wanted to go get breakfast early," the orange eyed warrior asked, trying to resist laughing at Jaune's appearance.

"Uh... sure, give us a moment," the blonde said before he shut the door. Rouge turned around and shot a thumbs up to Mercer who just looked at him for a second before knocking on team RWBY's door.

No response.

Mercer knocked again, with a little more force.

Still nothing.

Once again Mercer knocked on the door, with more force than the last time.

"HOLD ON A DAMN MINUTE WHOEVER THE HELL YOU ARE!" a voice that sounded like Weiss yelled in anger. The yelling caused Mercer's and Rouge's eyes to widened. They've never heard the heiress sound that angry before.

Seconds later a furious Weiss opened the door. Her hair was down and she was in a light blue nightgown that was slightly transparent, allowing Mercer to see the bra and panties the white haired girl was wearing. Her face was molded into a angry expression. Mercer couldn't deny that she looked very cute at the moment. Guess Mercer was just really good at keeping things like this in his head.

"Who wants something at... M-M-Mercer..." Weiss started to complain but began to stutter when she saw who was standing on the other side of the door. The two just stared at each other until Mercer turned his head away, trying to be a gentlemen. When Weiss saw that action she remembered her state of dress. Her face quickly turned red before she let out a cute scream and slammed the door shut.

Mercer looked back at Rouge, trying to find answers. But the tiger just shrugged in response, he had no idea how women worked either.

Weiss stood with her back against the door, her face still bright red. She couldn't believe that she had been seen in such risque attire, by Mercer no less. Her teammates were up and preparing to get dressed when the merc knocked on the door. Yang, still in her shorts and wearing a yellow bra, was the first to notice the heiress's flushed face.

"Who was at the door Weiss," the blonde asked.

"M-Mercer..." she muttered out as she went to sit in a chair, embarrassment still on her face.

The name of the person caused the other three to perk up. Before Blake or Ruby could act, Yang ran to the door, still half dressed, and swung he door open. Mercer turned back to the door and his eyes widened when he saw Yang standing there in nothing but a pair of really short shorts and a yellow bra, a seductive smile graced her face.

"Why Mercer... you're so bold early in the morning," the brawler teased. She leaned against the door frame to emphasize her toned and sexy body. Her action got a reaction out of Rouge, who had a perverted face and was letting out a creepy laugh. Mercer on the other hand looked at the ceiling with just the slightest dust of pink on his face. It was like these girls were trying to test his self control.

"I'm not trying anything Yang... we just wanted to see if you all would like to got to breakfast early," the merc said in his normal stoic tone.

Yang smiled in response. "Sure, let us get ready first... care to join us in-" she wasn't able to finish what she was saying because Blake came up and grabbed her and dragged her back in the room and shut the door.

Mercer just shook his head and went to stand by Rouge, who was giving the jade eyed hunter a smug grin.

About five minutes later both RWBY and JNPR had finished getting dressed and had walked out of their rooms. Since they were all on a two week break from classes, none of them had supplies for classes. Yang, Ruby, and Blake walked very close to Mercer while they shot each other competitive looks. Turns out something came to light the night Ruby went to see Mercer in the infirmary.

**Flashback**

Ruby couldn't help but smile as she walked back to her dorm. The young leader had gone and kissed Mercer in his sleep. Part of her was still on cloud nine from the kiss, it felt like a fantasy to her. Now she just had to tell him when he woke up. But she would have to do it later, she might be rushing it if that was the first thing she said when he woke up. As Ruby turned the corner to the dorm hall, she found her sister Yang leaning against the wall right next to their dorm room.

"Hey Yang," Ruby said nervously, she didn't want her sister to know what she was doing.

Yang noticed Ruby's nervous nature and decided to call her out. "So Rubes... where were you?"

The hooded girl began to sweat, Yang tended to be overprotective of her and was worried what she would do to Mercer. "I..." Ruby started to come up with something to say, but Yang's gaze shot that idea to pieces. She had never successfully lied to her older sister, and she wouldn't this time either. The scythe wielder looked at the ground as she spoke. "... I kissed Mercer while he was asleep,"

Yang uncrossed her arms and stared at her sister, shock evident on her face. She figured that there would be competition for the dark warrior... just not from her sister. The blonde looked at the ground too. "You're in love with him, aren't you," she asked quietly.

Ruby looked up at her sister, her face flushed red but also filled with courage. "Yes... I love him. I love him so much Yang it hurts to be away from him," she said with conviction. There was no way she could be lying about this.

The blonde just looked at her sister for a few minutes before putting on a small smile. "Well I'm happy that you fell for someone, but..." her smile became a feral grin. "I'm also in love with Mercer, and I will not give him up easily, even if its my sister I have to fight."

Ruby looked at her sister and really wasn't surprised. "Don't think I will give up either Yang," Ruby said as she pointed at the busty blonde. After that the two began to laugh before Yang said something.

"You can come out now Blake, I saw you pull back when Ruby and I started talking," she called out.

Blake walked around the opposite corner Ruby came from before walking up to the two sisters. Her hands were held at her front and she wasn't looking directly at the two.

"I am guessing by how shy you are acting it's safe to say you love Mercer too," Yang inquired, though she already knew the answer.

The cat Faunus blushed heavily and nodded. "That's what I thought. Oh well, I'm not going to hand over his sexy self without trying my hardest," the blonde said, causing the them to all laugh.

After the laughter had died down the three love struck girls spent the next hour talking about how they each fell for the Viper.

**End Flashback**

So now they agreed to try to get Mercer to fall for them without resulting to extreme measures. With time the group of ten reached the dining hall they found that Rouge's plan was a smart one. There was barely anyone in the room and the lines for food were empty. The tiger Faunus wasted no time in running to the food bar and piling up as much food as he possible could on one plate. The others were more modest in their proportions and soon followed Rouge to a table. But to everyone's shock, Ruby sat down on Mercer's lap instead of a seat. That action alone caused Blake and Yang's jealousy to show some. As the group ate slowly and had small conversations while the rest of the student body filed in to get their own food and mingle with one another. Although with enough time Ozpin of all people walked in when most of the school's populace was there. He stood on the far end of the dining hall with a remote in one of his hands. The headmaster's gaze shot straight to Mercer, who had happened to watch him come in. Ozpin gave the merc a smug smile as he pushed a button the remote. Slowly a section on the dining hall's back wall pulled up, revealing a large flat screen monitor. When the monitor came out all eyes slowly made there way towards it, along with a rising sense of dread filling up Mercer. Somehow, he just knew this involved him.

When the dining hall was silent, Ozpin spoke. "Good morning to you all, I hope you are all enjoying the small break. Now I came to this conclusion that today there would be some... entertainment, for all of you to enjoy while you eat. This is footage from Friday, first year team RWBY and partners Mercer Knight and Rouge Shere-Khan were tasked to exterminate a flock of Nevermores in the nearby mountains," Ozpin's words caused murmurs to ripple through the crowd of students and the aforementioned group to wonder how the hell Ozpin recorded footage of that day. "I would like you all to pay attention to how these six worked together and adapted to the changing situations. You should especially watch the actions of Mr. Knight, who showed more courage, power, and willingness to sacrifice himself in the face of certain demise," with his final words the headmaster turned on the video.

The dining hall sat in a pregnant silence as the recording of Friday played. There were moments of cheering and excitement when each of the Nevermores died. JNPR praised the six as each Grimm was eliminated. They accepted the recognition but soon fell silent when the last Nevermore fell. They knew what was coming next. When the Skybreaker appeared on the screen there was a sudden drop in the festive atmosphere. Even in a video, the dragon still struck fear into the hearts of the students. When it came to the part where Mercer stood fearlessly in front of Grimm, the girls all cheered and called him a "knight in black armor," which in turned caused the merc to slink down in his seat. The fangirls would be much worse now. The video continued to play and the combine attack on the Skybreaker was meet with nods of approval from the teachers and older students for the six's teamwork. But when it showed Ruby getting ready to deliver a final strike, the group paled in the memory of what was coming next. JNPR noticed this and decided to call it out.

"Guys, what happened," Pyrrha asked. She was answered when Rouge grit his teeth and the girls began to shake. Ruby, still in Mercer's lap, guided her hand to grasp the merc's larger one. Mercer did not deny this action, for he knew this memory would haunt all of team RWBY.

When the Skybreaker retaliated, the dining hall went silent in shock. When the dragon reared back to eat Ruby, many looked away in fear of what they might see. But when a flash of black appeared on the screen and it showed Mercer holding the Grimm's mouth with his bare hands, a collective gasp could be heard through the room. Then the video showed Mercer's speech, and that got a reaction.

_ "You... will never... TAKE SOMEONE WHO IS PRECIOUS TO ME!"_

Mercer's declaration caused a round of fangirling from the women and nods of respect from the men. They all watched as Mercer shot the dragon in the mouth before throwing Ruby to Yang. Those who were there steeled themselves while everyone else watched in horror as the Skybreaker brought its claw down on the jade eyed hunter. Ruby started to shake so Mercer tightened the grip on her hand, letting her know he was still there. When the giant pillar of Mercer's aura appeared on the monitor, the jaws of every other student dropped as they then proceeded to watch the dark warrior battle the dragon in his Aura Drive. People would glance over at the merc in disbelief every few seconds before turning right back to the screen. The video ended shortly after Mercer used Shattered Heaven and when it finished every head in the room snapped to look at Mercer, who was returning there looks back at him. The stares were starting to annoy the merc so he motioned for Ruby to get off of him.

"I'm going to go to the library... see you all later," the merc said as he stood up. As Mercer began to walk away, his hand was suddenly grabbed. When he looked around, Mercer found that Yang was the one who stopped him. The blonde smiled at the merc before pulling his arm towards her and smashing her lips on to his. In temporary shock, Mercer opened his mouth and Yang wasted no time slipping her tongue in. The dining hall watched in shock as the busty girl dominated the merc, she pulled him closer and wrapped her other arm around his waist to keep him from escaping. Yang looked over to she that her sister and Blake were upset and out of her field of vision, Goodwitch had crushed a glass cup in her hand. The blonde inwardly smirked in the thought she had gained the upper hand. Mercer noted that Yang smelled like citrus and her lips tasted like watermelon, must have been the lip gloss she wears everyday. Her firm but soft breast were pressing tightly against his chest and the feeling was great.

_"... I've been around Rouge too much,"_ he theorized why he was more aware of the female body. The perverted tiger had spent any chance he could discussing the opposite sex in great detail. Eventually Yang pulled back out of the sensual kiss to get a breath of air, a trail of saliva connected her mouth to the dark hunter's. The blonde gave him a seductive smile before turning around and walking back to the table, putting a extra swing in her hips to emphasize her luscious ass. Many men, including Mercer, were unable to not glance at the beautiful blonde woman. Mercer shook his head to clear his thoughts before walking out of the dining hall, the faintest blush on his face.

When Yang sat back down with her team and the others, Ruby and Blake were giving her a annoyed look. The blonde just shrugged. "All's far in love and war," she stated.

**With Mercer**

The merc quickly arrived at the library and proceeded to acquire a arm full of books before sitting in a chair by a window on the second floor. He cracked opened the first book and began to read, but his mind was on other things. He was still wondering about that assassin Dr. Peace that attacked him those weeks back. Knowing he couldn't let the others in on his dilemma, Mercer contacted someone he trusted greatly to look into the late hitman's recent activities. This person had known Mercer since he started as a mercenary, so he knew that they would not screw him over. After about twenty minutes Mercer felt his scroll go off in his pocket. When he pulled it out and checked who had contacted him, a small grin showed itself.

**Mercer,**

**I have gotten the information you requested, I am on my way to Vale now. In about two hours my airship will land, to find me just follow the smooth jazz.**

**M.T.**

Mercer quickly returned the books he had planned to read before heading out of the library. He planned to stop by his room and change clothes because he felt more comfortable. On the walk to the dorm hallway Mercer sent a message to Rouge letting him know that he would be going to Vale today.

**With Rouge and the Others**

After Yang's little attack on Mercer, Rouge started to think of ways to mess with Mercer. He looked over at team RWBY and a idea popped into his head. A wicked smile crawled on his face. Oh this would definitely cause the jade eyed warrior to squirm.

"You know... I just remembered something about Mercer," the tiger casually said, getting the attention of the entire table.

"What is it," Blake said, hiding her eagerness.

Evil laughter began to play in Rouge's head. "He always said he found maid outfits... sexy," he said trying not to burst out laughing at the looks on the faces of RBY.

"Maid..."

"Outfits..."

"Sexy..."

Rouge continued planting the seeds of his plans. "I think there's a costume shop in Vale that sells them," the large merc declared, causing the girls to look at each other.

As the three girls were lost in their minds, Rouge's scroll went off. "Oh, it from Mercer... Going to Vale for the day, be back later... guess he's taking a break today, meaning he'll most likely go eat at a restaurant and sit in a park for the day," he stated.

Ruby suddenly stood up and looked at her team. "We have a mission team RWBY: we're going to Vale and shopping for maid outfits," no sooner than she said that, Blake and Yang took off to change with Ruby right behind them dragging Weiss.

"Wait, why am I being dragged along to," the heiress complained as she was pulled by her younger leader.

As soon as all of RWBY was gone Rouge burst out laughing. JNPR looked at him before Pyrrha figured out what he had just done. "You're messing with Mercer, aren't you," the redhead asked.

"Yep... wanna lend a hand?"

JNPR looked at each other before nodding in unison. Rouge smiled and began to tell them his plan.

**Mercer**

The merc had just finished changing clothes a few moments ago. He wore his usual attire with some changes. Mercer did not wear his suit jacket but kept the black vest which also had his insignia on the back and his jade shirt without the tie and the first three buttons undone. In the vest pocket was a pair of aviator sunglasses with green tinted shades and black rims. Mercer quickly checked his earrings and rings before he pulled out the same case he brought Empty Promise in out and put it on the desk. He opened the large case and pulled out a different black leather belt with a another holster that was smaller than the one for his spear. Once he had the belt situated on his waste he reached back in the case and pulled out a large handgun. "Reinforced silver-titanium semi-automatic .454 Casull Auto, fifteen inch slide with a eighteen round clip housing .454 armor piercing bullets," Mercer said to himself. The Casull was given to him by the same person he was meeting today. A gift that has taken many lives, but that is it's function. This gun was one of his prized possessions that he carried when his clients in the past went into more "respectable" locations such as parties and meeting. Despite its size, Mercer seemed to make the hand cannon blend in to his body and the only things his opponents saw was a flash of silver before they died. He put the Casull into its holster on his right hip after cleaning it and putting in a magazine. He the grabbed extra magazines and placed them into the various hooks on the new belt. Once he was armed Mercer left his room and headed to the airship dock.

**Vale- Mercer**

It wasn't long before Mercer was walking through Vale. He still had an hour before his associate would arrive, so he figured he might as well relax. The merc decided to sit at a coffee shop and order a drink. No sooner than when he sat down, he was being stared at by women of all ages, causing him to sigh. Eventually a waitress with short red hair came up to him.

"Hello sir, may I take your order," she politely asked, blushing lightly being close to the new handsome customer.

The waitress's respectful nature made Mercer smile, which in turned caused all the women around to blush. "I'll have a Cafe Mocha and a glass of water," he said.

"Very good sir, I'll bring it out as soon as its done," the waitress replied with a smile before heading to the kitchen.

Mercer sat patiently for his drink to be delivered. He was enjoying this peace, something he had rarely received. But when he looked out the window of the coffee shop his serenity quickly turned to anger. Mercer saw three thugs harassing someone on the street opposite to the coffee shop near a construction site. What really bothered him was that he knew who the thugs were bothering.

Velvet.

The merc stood up and began to walk to the door when his waitress came out with his coffee and water. "Just leave them on my table, I'll be right back," he said. She nodded and did so before she watched him walk out the shop and across the street, now clear about his intentions.

"Aw c'mon sweetheart, why don't you spend some time with us," one of the thugs asked, he wore a maroon shirt.

"Yeah, we'll take good care of you," another said, he was slightly hefty and had on a orange shirt.

The last one looked a little apprehensive, he was scrawny and had on a pink shirt. "Guys, maybe shouldn't do this" the pink one said timidly.

The red one looked back at his friend. "Don't be a pussy, she looks like she will be fun."

Velvet was shaking, she just needed to come to Vale to get some shampoo and this happened. If only Mercer were here. Luckily her knight with snake eyes was right behind her.

"That's enough."

That familiar smooth voice caused Velvet to quickly turn around. A large smile graced her face when she saw Mercer in all his glory. She also noted he looked good how he was currently dressed. He motioned for her to come over and she did before standing behind him.

"Who are you, her boyfriend," the red one asked.

"I'm her friend... you're just a piece of shit," Mercer spat out, venom in his voice.

That got the red thug angry. "Why you..." he rushed Mercer thinking he could hit Mercer. That proved impossible when the merc used his superior speed and strength to hit the thug in the face. The now unconscious man fell back, most of his teeth missing. The orange thug pulled out a pipe and tried to attack the merc, but Mercer disarmed him without looking. The thug backed up and grabbed a caution cone from the construction site and held it in front of him. Mercer just got annoyed and walked towards him. "Protect me cone," the orange thug squealed before Mercer brought the pipe down and smashed it between his legs. The thug dropped to the ground clutching his family jewels in agony. The scrawny pink thug was shaking where he stood as he looked at his two friends on the ground. This well dressed guy had taken them out like it was nothing. The sound of a _click_ caused him to look back up. What the thug found was that he was now staring down the barrel of Mercer's Casull, the merc's eyes and tattoos were glowing, making him look like a demon. The pink thug quickly pissed himself and passed out. Mercer sighed and holstered his large handgun and went back to Velvet.

"Did they hurt you Velvet," Mercer asked softly. He brought his hand up and gently touched her face and looked for any wounds.

The rabbit Faunus couldn't help but turn bright red at how close Mercer was to her. "I'm OK, they didn't touch me," she said. "Thank you for the help."

Mercer shook his head. "Its fine, I'm just glad you're alright," he said with a smile. Damn he is smooth.

Velvet blushed again before she said goodbye to the merc and walked towards the airship dock. Mercer went back to the coffee shop were he was met by praise from the other customers for his noble actions. The merc accepted the compliments and sat down to enjoy his drinks. He still had some more time to kill, so he just relaxed.

**Vale- RWBY**

It didn't take long to find the costume shop Rouge had mentioned. Finding the maid outfits were even easier. But there was one thing...

"These are... skimpy," Weiss deadpanned. She was right about that, these outfits were very erotic. But that didn't stop Yang from looking through them feverishly and Ruby timidly going through them. Blake was currently in a changing room trying out a outfit she found.

"How do I look," the cat Faunus' voice called out. She had pulled back the curtain to let herself be seen. What she was answered with was stares from her teammates before Yang and Ruby started to furiously look through more outfits, trying to find ones to beat Blake's. The amber eyed woman just slowly closed the curtain to take the outfit off, she would be buying this one.

Weiss just shook her head at her team's antics. Then... making sure she wasn't seen, went into another changing room to try out a outfit for herself.

**With Mercer**

The former merc had finished his drinks earlier and paid the bill at the coffee shop before he left. Now he was just walking through the streets. His associate should be in Vale by now, so all Mercer had to do was find him. Wasn't really hard, the second Mercer started to hear jazz music, he had found him. Mercer turned the corner to find a small crowd listening to a tall middle aged man playing a saxophone. The man wore a black leisure with a gray shirt and black bow-tie. He also had a black fedora and a brown jacket on. He light brown hair and a thin goatee-mustache combo of the same color as well as two different colored eyes; one human blue eye and the other was a green cat eye.

This was Marcus Twilight, a veteran mercenary/hunter who was half cougar Faunus. He had been the one to introduce Mercer to the merc life. He didn't know at the time how it would change the jade eyed man and he still harbors some guilt for Mercer's pension for killing. He played a few more notes before pulling the saxophone away. Clapping soon followed and Marcus bowed in respect. As the crowd cleared out, the veteran warrior found Mercer standing there with his hands in his pockets. He walked over to the Viper with a blank face. Marcus was not one to express his emotions, a smirk or a scowl was as much as people have seen.

"You are not hard to find Marcus with you playing music," Mercer said as he extended his hand. The half Faunus took his hand and the old allies shook hands.

"Been awhile Mercer, you look good, guess being a hunter has made you healthier," Marcus' booming voice said.

"If by healthier you mean getting shot in the head and nearly crushed by a Skybreaker Grimm, then I'm doing great," Mercer retorted. "Come on, there's a park nearby, we can discuss what you found there."

The older merc nodded and followed Mercer. When they reached the park, the two sat on a bench.

"So what did you find out about that assassin," Mercer asked.

Marcus pulled out a folder and handed it to Mercer, who in turn opened it. "Pastel Brankino, former Vale police detective. He was discharged when he accidentally killed a unarmed suspect. After that he left his wife and became a contract killer by the name Dr. Peace. He was one of the good ones, but still not a match for you. I wasn't able to find a whole lot on who hired him, the guy was very precautious about sending hitmen after you. All I could figure out was that the guy who hired peace was a half Faunus like me, no idea what kind though, and he was very rich. I wouldn't be surprised if more assassins come after you," Marcus looked to see that Mercer was reading the file, completely engrossed in it. "Peace... also has a daughter..." Mercer stopped what he was doing when Marcus said this. "Brankino's wife was pregnant when he left. He didn't know until later when she was older. The first time he met her... was the day before you killed him. Apparently, you were to be his last kill before he left the business."

Mercer just stared into space before looking at Marcus. "... I've killed a lot of fathers, this doesn't change anything. He came to kill me when he could have walked away... he deserved death," the dark warrior said, giving the folder back to the half Faunus.

_"Still holding on to that deathly mindset I see,"_ the older merc thought. Rouge had contacted him and told him of everything he had seen when he came to Beacon. Was was glad that Mercer was more human now, but there was concern in his mental state. Marcus knew, just like Rouge, that Mercer was a ticking timebomb of insanity waiting to go off. But he wanted to let the jade eyed man have a life and try to find a way to fight the madness. But his last statement... how much longer would Mercer be in control?

"I'm going to try and find more information on the man with the money. I'll be in touch" Marcus said as he got up and left. But before he left he turned back and gave Mercer a small smirk. "Have fun, lady killer," and with that he disappeared in a series of after images.

Mercer groaned at the nickname. Obviously Rouge was responsible. Seeing that the sun was setting the merc decided to head back to the school.

**RWBY Dorm**

"I think you all look good," Pyrrha said. She and Nora had help team RWBY get into the maid costumes they bought. Pyrrha was waiting by the door for Rouge to signal that Mercer was in position.

"This is embarrassing," Weiss said as she fiddled with the very short outfit.

"Then why did you get one," Nora asked cheerfully.

The heiress just mumbled to herself and turned away.

"Damn we look hot," Yang said as she struck a pose, showing her ass in the process.

_"Oh this is going to be good,"_ Pyrrha thought, secretly wondering if Jaune would like thing like this.

**Outside the Room**

Mercer had just returned to Beacon when he saw Rouge, Jaune, and Ren standing by the RWBY dorm. This was odd and something felt off. "What are you three doing?"

Ren was the one who answered. Ruby sent us a message saying something was wrong with their door and asked if we could fix it. They're with Nora and Pyrrha off doing something right now and wanted us to see what we could do," he said in a clam voice, making it impossible to tell he was lying.

"Yeah, we've tried everything we could think of, you think you could try something," Jaune asked.

Rouge just nodded, not trusting his ability to lie to the very dangerous Mercer.

Mercer stared at the three before shrugging and going up to the door. As soon as his hand touched the door handle, Rouge gave the signal to Pyrrha.

The spartan got it and gripped the other side of the handle. "Oh ladies..." she said, getting RWBY to look at the door. She unlocked it, and the door opened.

Mercer opened the door. "It's fine, I don't see wha-" his words died in his throat as well as his eyes widening as much as possible. What Mercer saw was team RWBY standing there.

In maid outfits.

Ruby was wearing a standard long sleeved maid outfit that stopped right above he middle thighs. She had on red silk stockings to complete the outfit along with a black choker with a red rose on it.

Weiss was wearing the same as Ruby but with the colors reversed, Ruby's being more black and hers white. Her stockings were light blue and had snowflakes on them.

Blake was wearing a all black one that had a open back with golden buttons and short sleeves. She had black fishnet stockings and a garterbelt on.

Yang's was a two piece outfit. Her top was like a maid outfit with short sleeves, it was low cut so a huge amount of cleavage can be seen and it stops mid waist to show her stomach. She wore a maid skirt that was so short you could easily see her backside in. Her stockings were yellow with a flame pattern.

The four scantly dressed girls just stared back at the equally shocked Mercer. Blushes covered their faces as his eyes just seemed to memorize them.

Mercer was a statue with wide eyes now, drinking in every detail of the four sexy women. Shockingly a trail of Mercer's blood came out of his nose. He got a nosebleed looking at them! The three guys outside as well as well as Pyrrha and Nora became surprised.

"Wait... he... actually DOES have a thing for maids?! I just made that up," Rouge confessed in shock. The four girls dressed as maids looked at him, their anger growing.

"You mean..." Ruby started.

"That you..." Blake continued, her hair shadowing her face.

"THAT YOU CAME UP WITH THAT," Yang yelled, her eyes red with rage.

Mercer was still silent, he let go of the door and started to walk away. "Uh Mercer, where are you going," Jaune asked as he backed away from Rouge knowing he was going get mauled.

"... cold shower," the stunned merc said as he continued down the hallway.

Rouge looked like he was going to piss himself. Team RWBY had backed him against the wall. "Now now ladies, look on the brightside, Mercer does like those outfits really. N-no need to get violent," he pleaded. The four girls looked at each other, shrugged, then attacked the tiger Faunus.

And that night all of Beacon could hear the sounds of Rouge getting mauled by four embarrassed and enraged girls in maid outfits.

**And I'm laughing my ass off now.**

** Lot happened here in this chapter, I wasn't kidding when I said you'd laugh a lot. Also anyone who has a maid fetish... you're welcome. Mercer showed us he is very much susceptible to feminine wiles here.**

** So nothing more to say than that. Hope you all enjoyed it. Remember to review, comment, and PM.**

** FallenSymphony963 out.**


	19. Chapter 16

**RWBY: Viper's Glare**

** Seems my attempt at comedy worked well last chapter. Wasn't as funny as Jaune trying to sing to Weiss in the last episode of RWBY (That was the funniest thing I have ever seen in my life), but it seemed to make some of you laugh. This chapter will be the last before we get onto volume two of the show. Unfortunately... this is not a chapter for laughing. This will be very somber and heart-wrenching. We're going to see Mercer in a bit of agony as well as see some of his humanity. Just be prepared, this will be brutal on your emotions.**

** Lets begin.**

** Disclaimer: I own only Mercer and the rights to the other OCs.**

**Chapter 16: Mercenary Tears**

Rouge had somehow survived the beating given to him by team RWBY, a few bruises, a black eye, and a busted lip was the leftover of the thrashing. Mercer had a difficult time sleeping that night. Thanks to his Faunus partner, dreams of the very same girls who had dressed up in maid outfits flooded his mind and the merc refused to close his eyes in an attempt to forgo the rather detailed images in his head. Needless to say the next day when Mercer saw Rouge the tiger was quickly repaid with a right hook to his face by the jade eyed man. The four members of the all girl team tended to get embarrassed when they saw the dark hunter. On the outside this seemed like normal teenage hormones and adolescence at work, and that it was a happy part of growing up.

But sometimes we don't get happiness.

Mercer walked through the halls with his nose in another one of his books. He was heading back to his room after dinner. His friends were still eating and he felt like heading back and finishing a paper on the ecology of the King Taijitu Grimm species. A snake... the irony was not lost to the man who is known as the Viper. Turning the corner the merc found Velvet in her combat gear walking towards him.

"Hello Velvet," he called out. The rabbit Faunus looked up and smiled at him.

"Hey Mercer, how are you," she asked with a sweet smile.

"Fine, heading to my room to write a paper."

Velvet tilted her head. "Sounds tedious, I'm going to meet my team now. We have a mission to we were assigned to. It is supposed to take some time, we don't know exactly when we're coming back," she said.

"... isn't your team in charge of planning the dance here in a month," Mercer asked.

"Yes, but in the event that we are still gone I've asked Yang and Weiss to finish the plans for us."

Mercer shivered slightly at what Velvet said. Knowing Yang something will most likely involve him getting put in a precarious situation.

"Well I need to be going, take care Mercer," and with that Velvet continued on her way and Mercer continued back to his room.

Then second Mercer walked into his room, he got a call on his scroll. Pulling it out the device he saw that the person calling him was Marcus. This was unexpected, Marcus was a fast worker but this was too fast. This was something else entirely. Mercer opened the scroll and sat in his chair.

"Hello."

_"Mercer, can you hear me?"_ the half Faunus' voice came in through the scroll.

"Yeah... what did you need?"

_ "This isn't easy to say... but a merc has gone insane and went on a rampage yesterday. No one was killed but serious damage has been done."_

Mercer's eyes narrowed, mercenaries had wills of steel, whatever happened must have been on the hellish side. "Which company was this merc apart of?"

_"... Fortress."_

The room became silent as Mercer gathered his thoughts. The Fortress mercenary company were the ones who found Mercer after he had escaped from the experiments done on him. Their members trained and refined the skills Mercer uses that makes him infamous. Marcus would later help Mercer as a freelancer, but the mercs at Fortress held a special place with Mercer. If one of them had lost it, he would want to know.

"Who?"

_"... Heavy."_

Mercer went dead silent.

_"Listen-"_

"Where is he now?"

_"Mercer-"_

"Tell me."

_"Ironbark Forest... fifteen miles north of Atlas, it snows there year round."_

"I'm going... don't try and stop me," Mercer said in a tone that declared his intentions were set.

A sigh was heard from the scroll. _"I figured as much, I'll let Soldier know you're going to handle it. What are you going to do Mercer?"_

"... set him free."

Marcus was quite for a moment. He knew what Mercer was going to do. He didn't like it, the jazz lover was certain that once this was over, Mercer would be broken on the inside. _"Be careful Mercer,"_ with those parting words, Marcus ended the call.

Mercer looked out his window, the sun was going to set soon. If he left by airship tonight, he could make it to Atlas by morning. The dark warrior went to his closet and began to look for clothes suited for colder weather. Five minutes later Mercer walked out in his winter clothing which consisted of black boots, black winter pants, black gloves, a jade green long sleeve shirt that held tight to his chest, and a double breasted winter coat. He also had both his belts on in a x-shaped fashion, on one was Empty Promise and ammo pouches for it, and on the other was his .454 Casull and magazines for it. Not wanting to have to explain himself to Rouge or the others, the merc wasted no time in quickly making it to the airfield and paying a pilot to secretly take him to Atlas and ferry him back when he was finished with his business. Within the next five minutes Mercer was in the air heading to Atlas, and to Heavy.

**Ironbark Forest**

Mercer didn't sleep during the flight, his mind running through the memories of the mercs at Fortress. They were the closest thing he had to siblings or a family after his parents died and he was ripped away from the orphanage. Each of the mercs had their own ridiculous quirk that made them unique, like Spy's mysterious persona and Medic's mad-scientist tendencies. Mercer still didn't know if Pyro was a man or a woman, only that he was his own brand of crazy. Luckily for him Atlas had airship docks in the north part of the city, after his ship landed he told the pilot that he would send out a message when he was ready to leave. With all things taken care of, Mercer began to walk towards the forest.

Ironbark Forest was named for black barked trees that littered the snowy area. The wood and bark is strong and durable like metal, which makes it useful in building. The only thing about the trees is that since they grow in such a cold area, they're hard to cut down and process. Mercer dredged through the snow, listening for any sign of life. But the only sounds were his boots in the snow and the wailing of the frosty wind. All he could see for miles was pure white snow and gnarled trees that looked like there were cut from the deepest black. The merc let out a long breath and closed his eyes, waiting for the right moment.

Then the high speed noise of a minigun spinning up penetrated the silence.

**(Play Ed Sheeran- I See Fire)**

Mercer's eyes snapped open as the bullets began to fly. He broke into a dash and zig-zagged through the trees as a steady line of fire followed him. Snow and shattered pieces of trees flew through the air as the shooter tore through anything to get to Mercer. Hundreds of rounds continued to fly as the jade eyed man rolled behind a large tree to gain his bearings. He peaked around the tree to see the one he came to find, Heavy, his old acquaintance. Even in this cold, the large man still wore his red t-shirt under his body armor and ammo bandolier. He had gray pants and black boots like Mercer remembered. Attached to his back was a pump-action shotgun and in his hand was his personal high grade minigun he named "Sasha" for reasons Mercer didn't know. Heavy was still bald as a baby and had his five-o-clock shadow beard, but his eyes... there was this madness in them that Mercer could see. Heavy was looking around trying to find Mercer, his breathing extreme. Looking at the once lovable oaf, Mercer knew there was no saving him.

Mercer took another deep breath and harden his heart... then he started to run.

Heavy saw Mercer move and swung Sasha in his direction as the rotor began to spin up. The minigun started to fire once more at the Viper, but Mercer was sleek and fast. The merc in black flipped and jumped into the air and landed on a tree branch. Heavy still continued to try and shoot Mercer as the more agile warrior jumped from tree to tree with Heavy lumbering after him, roaring out. Mercer silently cursed at how much ammo the Sasha had. Bullets and bark flew everywhere as Mercer dodged and Heavy continued to shoot. Eventually Mercer ran out of trees and rolled into a clearing. The merc drew Empty Promise and spun around to see his opponent standing there finishing reloading his minigun, an insane look in his eyes.

"Oh for fu-" Mercer didn't have time to complete his sentence as Heavy pulled the trigger and unloaded hell onto him. The dark hunter brought up his spear and spun it in front of him to deflect the bullets as the came upon him. Mercer dug his feet into the ground to keep him stable as the onslaught continued. If he could hold out until Heavy needed to change the ammo drum, Mercer could then attack. As the large mad merc continued fire, Mercer replayed the memories of how Heavy taught him how to handle large weaponry, ignore superficial wounds, and... make tasty sandwiches. Only in this horrid moment did Mercer realize that he was fighting a man who was a friend, a comrade. When Heavy finally ran out of ammo, Mercer lunged at him. The bald warrior tried to reach for his shotgun, but Mercer was already there. He impaled Empty Promise into his stomach. Heavy screamed in pain and staggered back, he leaned against a tree and fell down. Mercer stood two feet away, panting from having to deflect thousands of bullets being shot at him. A few got through, but those wounds had healed now. It was over.

**(End Music)**

"... M-Mercer..." the ragged, accent laced voice of Heavy called out. The wounded man looked up to see the young warrior was looking at him. He smiled before coughing up blood. "So you came to stop me..."

Mercer knelt down and pulled his spear out of the larger merc, Heavy let out a grunt of pain in response. "Heavy... what happened to you," he asked, a solemn tone in his voice.

Heavy breathed in hard before he spoke. "Our last mission... bandits in small village... thought people had left... wrong..." tears began to form at the corner of his eyes. "I did not know... little girl... in building... so young... I-I didn't know... couldn't take it."

From what Mercer could deduce, Heavy had killed a small child by accident during his last assignment and the guilt caused him to lose his mind and go on a rampage. This kind of thing was common in their line of work. You never know how a job can go wrong. What Heavy had was a violent reaction to extreme remorse which caused him to lash out, it was similar to PTSD. Mercer was getting ready to stand when Heavy grabbed his shoulder.

Heavy looked straight into his slit eyes and said one thing. "End me... I can't continue on after what I've done."

Mercer looked at the broken and bleeding man. This was a mercy. The merc stood and pulled out his Casull. He pointed the large handgun at Heavy's heart and looked at his face. The older merc was smiling at Mercer.

"I'm glad... it was you... Mercer... you have always... been a son to me... Thank you," with his final words, Heavy closed his eyes, and Mercer pulled the trigger.

_BANG!_

The echo of the gunshot reverberated through Ironbark Forest before returning to silence. Mercer still had his arm brought out, the Casull's barrel still smoking. Heavy's body was still against the tree and a smile was on his face to the very end.

Mercer holstered his gun and looked up at the sky, gray clouds hid any notion of sunlight. He went over and grabbed Sasha before putting the minigun in the arms of the fallen merc, he'd want it that way. Mercer stood still as his lips began to move and his voice recited a prayer that mercenaries use.

"I won't scatter your sorrows to the heartless sea... I will always be with you."

A strong gust of cold wind blew across the area as if Heavy's soul was carried to the afterlife with it.

"You can come out now Spy, I know you're here," Mercer suddenly called out. A man dressed in a red suit and white shirt with a red mask on walked out behind a tree before he came and stood next to Mercer.

"Still sharp in your sensing I see Mercer, hiding from you was always difficult," Spy said with his thick accent. The masked man pulled out a cigarette and lit it. "You ended his pain, don't feel bad about it."

"... I'll leave his body to you, one day I will go to the wall and... pay my respects," Mercer said only that and walked away. Spy watched until Mercer's black silhouette disappeared before turning back to Heavy's body.

"That kid has grown up in quite the warrior my friend, I'm sure he gave you a grand fight in the end."

**Beacon**

Mercer's ride back to Beacon was dead silent. All he could think about was all the time he spent with Heavy. Despite how opposite they were, Heavy was the only member of Fortress that Mercer never argued with. They just had that connection. Mercer made it to the front courtyard of the school when he stopped in place. It was about 8:45 p.m, so everyone was most likely in their rooms. Mercer fell to his knees right there before he started to punch the ground. If anyone was out there at that moment, they would see tears streaming down Mercer's face.

This was the first time Mercer cried since he lost his parents.

And now he lost someone who saw him as a son.

Mercenary tears were what these were... tears shed for loss and pain in private, because one had to be strong in the face of adversity... and let your weakness show when alone.

** And we're done.**

** This chapter wasn't as long and probably not as good as the others, but it was necessary. Had to show that Mercer is very much prone to loss and describe how it effects him. The song might have seemed odd but I like the message that it delivers.**

** Anyway, next chapter begins Volume 2 of the show, so... FOOD FIGHT! Man that should wipe away the depressing stuff from this chapter.**

** Be sure to review, comment, and PM please, I like to hear from you guys.**

** Later.**


	20. Chapter 17

**RWBY: Viper's Glare**

** Sorry I'm late, I've been very busy. Welcome back readers to the next installment of Viper's Glare. Seems like the Team Fortress addition was very well liked. Many of you have asked if the rest of the game will make a appearance, so I'll answer you people... yes, they will show up in the future, although I don't know how major they'll be to the story yet.**

** Now we are finally getting into Volume 2! (Off topic: WE FINALLY GOT SOME BACKSTORY ON YANG AND RUBY! HELL YEAH!) Sorry... had to get that off my chest. I can already say that I will be breaking canon later on, but not yet. You'll be able to notice real quick where things get hinky (To those of you who watch NCIS, you'll get that reference.) **

** Lets get to it!**

** Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY and I wish I could work for Roosterteeth.**

**Chapter 17: Don't Touch the Cake... Ever**

Tuckson was busy stacking books today in his store. The puma Faunus was preparing to leave Vale and move to Vacuo. The ex-White Fang member was worried about his former groups increased presence in Vale. He knew they must be be preparing to initiate Third Crusade. It was only a matter of time before the White Fang would come to silence him. Tuckson considered telling Mercer. Now that the spear master was a Hunter, he could inform the government about the White Fang. The bookstore owner decided.

He pulled out his scroll and brought up the contact information the former merc had given him. Tuckson was about to press to press the record button when the bell on the counter let out a soft _ding_.

"Be right there," he called out. Tuckson quickly recorded the message for Mercer, but forgot to send it. He grabbed a tower of books and walked to the front.

**Beacon- Early Morning**

Rouge was in a tight spot right now.

Marcus had informed him of what Mercer had done the day before. It was quite shocking to the tiger Faunus that he would go that far to help end someone's pain. Mercer was a wreck, when Rouge went to see him earlier today the merc had this cloud of depression hanging over him. His eyes were bloodshot and his skin was paler. Rouge didn't say anything, he just grabbed Mercer and brought him to the bathroom to get him cleaned up. Mercer washed his face and nodded his thanks to Rouge before returning to his room to get ready. But he knew that Mercer was still dwelling on Heavy's death at his hands. And Rouge only knew one way to get Mercer out of his funk, and it... would be painful.

He had to make Mercer angry.

**Beacon- Dining Hall**

The dining hall was filled to the brim with students today. Teams RWBY and JNPR sat together with Rouge and Mercer with Rouge sitting with the coed team and Mercer sitting beside the all female team. Ruby had gone to grab something from her room so she was not present at the moment. Mercer was still in a depressed state, making the others worry about him.

Blake was busy looking at her journal that she had brought with her. The cat Faunus was reminiscing about her old partner and mentor, Adam. She looked at the drawings of him she had in the journal and played memories of the bull Faunus in her head. Despite how cold he had become, Blake still cherished and missed her old comrade. In some ways Adam and Mercer were alike. Strong, stoic, fast, and attractive. She never had any feelings for Adam, but she couldn't deny that he had a certain charm about him. Blake flipped the page and stared dreamily at the drawings she had on this page. Doodles of Mercer filled the pages, along with various little romantic lines she fantasized him saying to her.

"Whatcha doing," Yang suddenly asked Blake, getting right up next to her.

"Nothing... just going over notes from last semester," she replied as she closed the journal.

Yang caught a grape in her mouth that was tossed by Nora. "Lame," she said. Nora giggled while the rest of her team was smiling. The hammer girl threw another grape which Yang caught and the blonde gave her a thumbs up. Rouge was snickering like Nora, but Mercer was just staring at his plate. The lean merc was really beginning to worry the others.

Just then Ruby placed a massive binder filled with papers on her team's table. There was a loud thud when it made contact and Ruby let out a grunt from being relieved of having to carry the giant binder. "Ahem... Sisters, Friends... Weiss," the heiress let out a "hey" from being in her own category. _"And future lover,"_ Ruby added in her head as she glanced at Mercer briefly. "Four score and seven minutes ago, I had a dream..."

"This oughta be good," Yang said before Nora threw a cherry at her, which she caught.

"... a dream that one day, the four of would come together, as a team, and have the most fun anyone has ever had... ever," Ruby declared as she shock her arms up and down. Rouge looked at the small huntress and smiled. He liked her enthusiasm, which usually meant you had to be crazy to get the tiger's attention like that. Mercer was just slowly eating and not paying much attention to what was happening. The larger merc had to find some way to piss Mercer off... but how?

"Did you steal my binder," Weiss asked as she put her hands on her hips.

"I am not a crook," the scythe user retorted, using air quotes for emphasis.

"What are you talking about," Blake questioned.

"I'm talking about kicking off this semester with a bang!"

Yang saw her chance. "I always start of my semesters with a Yang... eh, guys... amiright," Yang's god awful pun caused her teammates to shake their heads and Nora to boo her and throw a apple at her face. Mercer glanced over for a moment before returning to his brooding. Even Rouge, who was terrible at jokes, thought that the pun was really bad.

"Look guys, it's been a good two weeks and between more exchange students arriving and the tournament at the end of the year our second semester is going to be great. But, classes start back up tomorrow... which is why I've taken the time to schedule a series of wonderful events today," Ruby finished with a smile.

"Mind if I join? It gets boring for me real quick," Rouge asked. The petite red themed girl shrugged her shoulders in response. "You're right Ruby, once classes start, it's all work. We've been through a lot recently... some of us more than others," the ax master said, drawing attention to Mercer. The others gazed at the sullen merc, Rouge was right, Mercer had been shot in the head, fought a Skybreaker Grimm in single combat, and unknown to all but Rouge... had to kill someone close to him. If anyone deserved a day of rest, it was the dark hunter.

"I don't know whether to be proud or scared of what you have in store," Weiss scoffed. Yang had stood up and tried to throw an apple back at Nora, but it missed and hit some guy behind her.

"I don't know... I think I might sit this one out," Blake said in a tired voice.

Weiss was the one to react to her. "Sit out or not, I think however we spend this last day we should do it as a team," the Schnee said.

"I got it," Nora screamed out.

Weiss stood up ready to make a important speech. "I for one think that-" but she couldn't finish because a pie hit her in the face. The rest of team RWBY tensed up and looked at the JNPR table. Nora was pointing at Ren trying to blame him, Ren was palming his face, Pyrrha had a hand over her mouth, Jaune was slackjawed, and Rouge shaking from holding back the urge to burst into laughter.

Mercer, knowing what was about to happen, grabbed what he was eating, a large slice of strawberry cheesecake, and walked away from the table and leaned against a piller.

Things were about to get messy.

**Outside the Dining Hall**

Sun and his partner, Neptune were walking towards the Dining Hall so the monkey Faunus could introduce the blue haired warrior to the friends he made at Beacon. Sun was in the middle of telling Neptune about the events at the docks.

"Man, that's harsh," Neptune commented.

"And we were fighting side by side ans she was super fast, and I threw a banana at a guy, which sounds gross, but it was awesome," the staff fighter said in an excited tone.

"Nice."

"Yeah, and the best part is, she's a Faunus," Sun covered his mouth realizing what he just said. "But that's a secret, OK?"

"Got it."

"And not a "I'm going to got tell Scarlet the second Sun turns his back secret. I'm talking _secret_ secret," Sun emphasized.

"Whoa chill out man, I got it, _I got it_," Neptune said, reassuring he knows to keep his mouth shut. "So what happened next?"

Sun stopped walking and looked down at the ground. The next thing that happened was difficult to talk about. "Remember Mercer, the quite bad boy who kicks all kind of ass I mentioned," Neptune nodded, Sun keep Mercer's identity as the Viper safe per Mercer's request. "Well... he came back after the White Fang retreated and the cops showed up, he looked like he had been in a fight so I guess there were more dudes where he was. But anyway... there was a White Fang goon that got left behind and... he jumped out and shot at Blake, but... Mercer took the bullet in the head to save her," the blonde said quietly.

Neptune went pale at what his friend said. "He... died..."

"No that's the thing. I thought he was dead, and the girls... god they broke down when it happened. Then, the prick who shot him started to laugh and it pissed Blake and them off. I'm telling you man, those four could scare a Deathstalker when they're like that. But the next thing we knew, Mercer had gotten up and grabbed the guy by the throat. He REGENERATED a fatal wound, it's something he can do, the guys near immortal or something. Anyway, Mercer flared his aura and put so much pressure into the guy's neck, his head exploded into a fountain of blood," Sun continued.

"Man... remind me never to make him angry," Neptune commented. Even though he hadn't met Mercer yet, he was very much afraid of the Viper's wrath.

Sun nodded. "Yeah, when got back up, the girls were really happy... especially Blake," his tone showed Neptune he was down about that fact.

"You think Blake has a thing for him?"

"Probably, but she's not the only one. Almost all the girls here want him. He's a walking babe magnet," Sun developed a devious smirk. "I'd say Mercer is more of a ladies man than you are."

Neptune scoffed at that idea. "We'll see about that."

"Anyway, if I have a chance with Blake, I don't want to screw this up you know" the people here are the coolest, no offense to you guys. Especially Mercer, wait til I tell you about how he took down a Skybreaker by himself," Sun said. Even though Mercer was his rival for Blake, the jade eyed man was the definition of badass. Strangely enough the two didn't notice Jaune make contact with the window they past by.

"None taken... he fought a what?!"

"Nevermind, OK there just in here, I'm really excited for you to meet them. You'll be cool right," Sun asked.

"Dude," Neptune struck a cool pose and his teeth sparkled.

The monkey Faunus stared at him. "Good point."

The two opened the double doors with smiles on their faces. But what they saw caused Neptune's smile to fade fast.

"FOOD FIGHT!"

Students began to run past the two in a massive herd as Nora's cackling laughter penetrated through the screams.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHA! I'M QUEEN OF THE CASTLE! I'M QUEEN OF THE CASTLE," the orange haired sang loudly as she stood on top off a mountain of tables on the far side of the dining hall. The rest of team JNPR was standing in various places on the table mountain.

Ruby was standing on the opposite side of the dining hall with her team behind her. The young girl brought her foot up onto a table, causing a bunch of trays and food items to fly into the air. "Justice will be swift. Justice will be painful," she crushed the milk carton in her hand, causing milk to spray everywhere. "It will be DELCIOUS!"

"YEAH," WBY screamed out behind Ruby.

Meanwhile Rouge had made his way behind the table mountain and he was looking for Mercer. This was the perfect chance he was waiting for. Sure he'd be lucky if he didn't need to go to the infirmary later, but Rouge was willing to risk the hurt. Rouge found Mercer on the opposite side of the dining hall behind RWBY. Sometime before the mess happened, Mercer had taken an entire strawberry cheesecake and was quietly eating it even though there was a chaotic food fight about to happen. Now he had to just find the right time to strike...

"Off with their heads," Nora bellowed as she jumped down in front of a pile of watermelons and started to throw them. The rest of JNPR followed suit and soon team RWBY and a hail of large juicy melons (get your minds out of the gutter you pervs).

_"Now's my chance,"_ Rouge thought. He flipped out of his hiding place and stood tall with his arms spread out. He smirked and brought his hands together with a loud clap and the tiger Faunus' orange Aura glowed brightly. **"Time Alter,"** Rouge said in a distant voice. A pulse comes out from the large merc and the world around him fades to gray. The melons flying through the air and Yang, who had dawned a pair of turkey gauntlets slowed down to a crawl speed. Rouge then maneuvered through the floating food items in the slowed down space.

This was Rouge's semblance, **Time Alter**. When used, the world around Rouge slows down to a near complete stop and he moves at normal speed. He can stop just about anything, from bullets to monsters, and... the occasional flying fruit. The only way to handle the effects of **Time Alter** is to be fast enough to react when Rouge stops using it. Mercer so far is the only one who can do that. There is also a Achilles heel to Rouge's semblance. On top of slowing down the world, **Time Alter** begins to slow down Rouge's heart. If he uses it too long, Rouge will stop his own heart and perish. A true double edged sword.

Rouge quickly made his way out of the line of fire and snapped his fingers. A second later time caught up with itself and the food fight between RWBY and JNPR continued. Rouge walked with his hands in his pockets while he whistled a upbeat tune. He watched as Weiss used ketchup to trip up Ren and Nora start swinging around a watermelon hammer that sent Yang through the ceiling. He ducked out of the way of stray soda cans Pyrrha was throwing around with her semblance. Eventually the tiger reached the Viper and he just leaned back and watched the food carnage.

"So... what do you think about all this Mercer," Rouge asked his partner, who was still in his funk and eating on the cheesecake.

Mercer glanced up and went right back down. "... it's a unusual use of all the training they have received," he mumbled.

Rouge said nothing but agreed with Mercer. These two teams had a lot of potential. Now Rouge had to wait for just the right moment to try his plan.

Ruby, being the only one left on her team still standing, crouched down before taking off a extreme speed. She turned into a sliver of red and zoomed past team JNPR, bringing everything but Rouge and Mercer crashing into them. Soon the coed team was stuck to the far wall covered in just about every kind of food imaginable. Ruby had won the food fight.

Sun was smiling through the who ordeal while Neptune was covered in grape soda and scowling. Rouge was clapping at the little show the two teams preformed. And Mercer was still eating the cake, he was about halfway through with the entire cake. Mercer had quite the sweet tooth, and touching his sweets never ended well.

Suddenly Goodwitch burst through the doors with a growl and stormed between Sun and Neptune. The sorceress blocked food that came in her direction before she used her riding crop to fix all the damage that had been done during the food fight. The chairs and tables levitated and returned to their rightful places.

"Children please, do not play with your food," the blonde teacher said sternly as she adjusted her glasses. The two teams relaxed after all they had been through. Nora let out a burp before Yang crashed through the ceiling and landed next to her team. The two teams burst into laughter, it was very much needed. They'd been through a lot recently, and they needed this bit of fun to wined down.

Goodwitch was about to reprimand them when Ozpin placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Let it go," the headmaster said in a passive voice.

Glynda let out a sigh. "They're supposed to be the defenders of the world."

"And they will be. But right now they're still children. So why not let them play the part," Ozpin began to walk away. "After all... it isn't a role they'll have forever."

Goodwitch turned back to the students still feeling irritated by the situation. Mercer walked up to the blonde and gently placed a hand on her face, getting her undivided attention. "Ozpin is right Glynda, let them have their youth. They can grow up at a steady pace. The world doesn't need another Viper," the merc said. He was robbed of a chance to grow up, the least he could do was let his friends be free of his path.

Goodwitch immediately relaxed. She knew what happened to Mercer and why he was so adamant on the subject. She decided to relax and just let them all of easy this time.

Then she realized Mercer was touching her face.

Almost immediately Glynda's face tuned scarlet and steam could be seen rising from her head. _"Oh Dust he's touching my face! Mercer is touching my face! His hands feel sooo good, I want them to touch me more,"_ the blonde's thoughts quickly turned perverted as her fantasies took over her mind. Mercer brought his hand back and looked at the teacher with a curious expression.

A fire ignited in Rouge's eyes. _"Now's a good time as ever,"_ Rouge ran up to Mercer and snatched his precious cheesecake from his hand. "Hey Jaune, think fast," the tiger yelled and threw the cake with force.

"Wha-" Jaune didn't even have time to finish asking his question when half of a strawberry cheesecake hit him square in the face with enough force to knock him off his feet.

Mercer was frozen. He stared at his empty hand, his brain slowly processing what just happened. The entire room went silent as a cold air sprung up from nowhere. All eyes went to Mercer, who's Aura was flaring and tattoos were glowing. His eyes glowed darkly and promised only one thing. Pain.

Rouge didn't even have time to talk before Mercer grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and spun him around. Once they had done a complete 360 degree rotation, Mercer threw the larger Rouge with enough force to create a sonic boom. The tiger Faunus turned into a blur as he flew across the dining hall and impacted a pile of watermelons. The others looked on in silence as Rouge laid in the fruit. Eventually he got up... only to have a rather large melon stuck on his head. Rouge stood up and tried to pull the fruit off his head, but it was wedged on tight. He stumbled around and slipped before falling down. Everyone else just stared at the struggling warrior before a sharp laugh broke the silence.

All heads spun around to find Mercer Knight hunched over holding his stomach and laughing uncontrollably. None of them had ever seen or heard the merc laugh before, so all of them were generally surprised. Mercer just continued to giggle as all the sorrow faded away. He needed this, this was the first time Mercer had laughed in over ten years. The others eventually just smiled, they were glad Mercer was this happy, he, of all people, deserved a break. They all also learned a valuable lesson today.

Never touch Mercer's cake... it will lead to pain.

**Warehouse- Undisclosed Location**

Mercury and Emerald walked in to find the White Fang unloading up Dust crates into airships. Cinder must be preparing to move along in the plan. The two walked father into the warehouse to find Roman Torchwick staring at a map of Vale.

"Oh look she sent the kids again," the career criminal said as he wrapped an arm around each of them. "This is turning out just like the divorce."

Mercury and Emerald quickly freed themselves from Torchwick's grasp. "Spar us the thought of you procreating," the dark skinned thief said with a shiver.

Roman just walked away. "That was a joke and this," he held up a piece of paper. "Just might tell me where you've been all day."

Emerald quickly searched herself seeing that Roman had taken the paper from her. "What?"

"I'm a professional sweetheart, pay attention and you might learn something," Torchwick took one look at the piece of paper and scowled. "Why do you have this address," he asked darkly.

"Wouldn't you like to know," the green haired girl retorted smugly.

"Yeah I would. Now, where have you been all day?"

Mercury finally decided to speak. "Clean up your problems. One of them at least," the gray themed warrior snapped.

"I had that under control," Torchwick was beginning to lose his patience.

"Two packed bags and a ticket out of Vale says otherwise."

That was enough for Roman. "Listen to me you little punk if it were up to me I'd take you and your little street rat friend and I would-"

"Do what, Roman," a devilishly sweet voice asked suddenly.

The three looked up to find Cinder Fall staring down at them from a platform. The platform came down and the flame seductress walked over to the three, her high heels clicking against the ground with every step.

"Ahaha... I'd... not kill them," Torchwick replied meekly. The last thing he wanted was to get turned to a pile of ash.

"Cinder," Emerald called out and tried to walk up to Cinder. But she just walked by her without so much as looking at her.

I thought I made it clear you would eliminate the would-be runaway," Cinder said with authority.

"I was going to..."

"He was going to escape to Vacuo. Mercury and I decided to take it upon ourselves to kill the rat," Emerald said proudly.

"I think was some sort of cat actually," Mercury butt in.

"What, like a puma?"

"Yeah, there you go."

That did not make Cinder happy. "Quiet. Did I not specifically instruct you two to keep your hands clean while in Vale," she asked darkly. Meanwhile Torchwick was mocking the two while Cinder was focused on them.

"I just thought..."

"Don't think. Obey," Cinder commanded.

Emerald lowered her head in shame. "Yes ma'am, it wont happen again."

The beautiful villainess turned back to the bowler hat wearing crime lord. "And you, why wasn't this job done sooner?"

Torchwick straightened up and motioned to the crates of Dust on his right. "Eh," he then motioned to the ones on his left. "Ehh," then he motioned to the crates behind him dramatically. "EHHH," Torchwick let his arms fall. "Sorry if I've been busy stealing every speck of Dust in the kingdom."

"You're an inspiration to punk with a gun and a ski mask," Mercury added on, making Emerald silently laugh.

"Look around kid, I've got this town running scared. Police camping out at every corner, Dust prices through the roof, and we're sitting pretty in an old warehouse with more Dust crystals, vials, and rounds than we know what to do with," Roman turned to face the three and put his hands behind his back. "Speaking of which, if you guys wouldn't mind filling me in on your grand master plan, it might actually make my next string of robberies go a little smoother."

Cinder walked up to Torchwick and placed her hand on his cheek. "Oh Roman, have a little faith. You'll know what you need when you need to know," she said sweetly as her fiery eyes began to glow. Torchwick let out a grunt and looked away, signaling he had backed down. "Besides... we're done with Dust."

"Okay... then what know?"

"We're moving. Have the White Fang clear out this building. I'll send you details and coordinates tonight," the seductress said as she walked towards the exit.

"... coordinates?"

Cinder turned around and smiled. "We're proceeding to Phase Two," with that she continued to the exit. Mercury and Emerald followed after.

Torchwick let out a grunt and pulled out a cigar. He then reached into his pockets to pull out his lighter, but he couldn't find it anywhere on him. He looked up to find Emerald standing there with his lighter sticking her tongue out at him. She flipped the lighter shut and walked away.

Cinder was almost out when she stopped and glanced over at a dark corner. "I trust you are ready on my word," she asked seemingly nothing. It was then a figure seemingly appeared out of the shadows from nowhere. The figure was tall, taller than the flame empress herself. The figure was in a black military commander's uniform with green accents. It didn't belong to any kingdom, it just looked impressive. The most notable thing about the individual was that they were wearing a black gas mask that completely hid their identity.

"I am... just give the signal and my people will proceed with the plan," the voice was muffled bu the mask, but it was easy to tell by the deep voice and body type that this was a man. Without another word, the masked man sinked back into the shadows and his presence disappeared completely.

Cinder smiled and continued on her way. It was only a matter of time before she got what she wanted. _"Soon Mercer... you will be in your rightful place... at my side."_

** And that's the end of chapter 17.**

** So... Mercer laughed and Rouge turned into a melon head. Funny? No? Alright then...**

** Tuckson's untimely demise will come back to haunt Mercury and Emerald, you can be sure of that.**

** And who's this mysterious man that is working with Cinder? What are his intentions? I'm not telling, you can wait and find out.**

** So... unfortunately my updates might start being much later now. I've recently gotten a night job so I won't be able to write as much because of that. But I will still pump out chapters as fast as I can, so don't get too discouraged.**

** Anyway, thanks for reading, please review, comment, and PM. I really want to hear from you all.**

** See you next time.**


	21. Chapter 18

**RWBY: Viper's Glare**

** I HAVE RETURNED!**

** Sorry about vanishing on you all for so long. There's a long story to it... but I'll give you the short version:**

** One of my coworkers got fired, I had to take up his hours, meaning my hours doubled and I have had less days off.**

** I am truly sorry for not having posted in such a long time. But I'm going to try and write when I have the time now to make up for it.**

** Now there are some things I would like to bring up but I'll talk about them at the end of the chapter.**

** Also, since all the members of RWBY have there own theme songs, I thought Mercer and Rouge deserved ones as well.**

** Mercer Knight- You Know My Name by Chris Cornell (The main theme for Casino Royal, I like the James Bond movies and this song is perfect for Mercer)**

** Rouge Shere-Khan- The Phoenix by Fall Out Boy (I found the up-beat style of the song to match Rouge's personality)**

** So let's get back into the story now, you all have waited long enough.**

** Disclaimer: You know this by now.**

**Chapter 18: Class of Pain**

Classes started back normally for the Hunters and Huntresses in training at Beacon, and once again Mercer was the top student in all his classes. But that was normal since he was so serious. Even though he was social with others, in class he was focused and tuned in on the subject. Currently a group consisting of teams RWBY and JNPR along with Mercer and Rouge were walking to a extra class they had been given. Ozpin had asked them to partake in the class once a week because the teacher in charge was new to the job and wanted to get settled in. The ten students quickly agreed to the class when the headmaster said they wouldn't have to go to Grimm Studies during those days. Can't really blame them, one can only handle so much Port in one week.

RWBY led the group followed by JNPR in the middle and the two mercs taking up the rear. All of them were talking except for Mercer, who had a pair of headphones similar to the ones owned by Ruby. Only his were jade green with his symbol on the speakers instead of Ruby's. Mercer had these headphones for sometime now, but he never wore them around. Since he was done with his work so early, the teachers let him get away with listening to music on days there are no lectures. Currently the spear master was listening to a song named Freak Like Me by a band called **Halestorm**. If one were to check the playlist of songs Mercer had, they would find he listened to a lot of female singers. He'd never admit it to anyone, but the slit eyed man found singing to be a attractive quality in a woman. Mercer was so engrossed in his music that he didn't know the others had stopped until he bumped into Ren. When he looked up he saw a someone who made his blood boil.

Cardin.

Beacon's resident douchebag has had a difficult time since his run in with the Viper. While his teammates got away with physical injuries, the beefy bigot experienced what could only be called psychological torture. He spent days in the infirmary in a coma only to wake up and have to go through counseling. Why? Because he developed a extreme phobia of fire thanks to Mercer's **Nightmare** making him feel like he was slowly burned alive for hours. Cardin also seemed to fear Mercer greatly as well, most likely because the merc royally handed his ass to him then basically mindfucked him just by looking at him. The mace user stood in front of his lackeys with his arms crossed and a smug look on his face.

"Well Jauney Boy, looks like you and all your freak-loving friends have this class too," Cardin said while his team snickered behind them. Jaune looked like he was going to back away, but Pyrrha's hand on his shoulder gave him more courage.

"You're not intimidating Cardin, Mercer kicked your asses without trying," Yang retorted. Small bouts of laughter from Nora, Ruby, and Rouge followed which angered the Winchester.

"Listen here you blonde bitch, that freak caught me off guard. If you don't shut the hell up, I'll-"

"Do what Cardin?"

The second Mercer's icy voice reached Cardin, all the color drained from his face and he began to back up. Mercer walked through his friends and right up to Cardin. The racist was frozen in place, the memories of what Mercer did to him flooded his mind. Cardin didn't see a man standing in front of him, he saw a green eyed demon.

"You are a simpleton Winchester. No matter how bad I beat on you, somehow you crawled back up from the dirt. Some would call that persistence, I say you're a cockroach that refuses to be squished. I thought our last encounter made it clear I don't want you tormenting anymore people," the merc's cold tone ripped into the taller man.

Cardin tensed up and looked at the ground, not want to deal with those evil eyes that belonged to the dark hunter. "I-" he couldn't even speak when Mercer's hand latched onto his neck.

Mercer's eyes and tattoos were glowing once again as he stared at the bully. "Don't think... **obey**," the Viper's command was laced with venom, making Cardin nearly defecate himself. Mercer's friends were slightly worried that Mercer might be going too far. But then they remembered it was Cardin and understood that Mercer was just trying to make him stop bullying others.

Rouge knew different though. This was a clear sign of the Corruption Dust influencing Mercer's emotions. He would have to watch Mercer more carefully now.

Cardin looked away in defeat before Mercer let go of him. RWBY, JNPR, and Rouge soon walked past Cardin and his team and Mercer soon joined them. CRDL was left alone in the hallway, fear rampant in their souls.

Mercer quickly made his way to the front of the group, wanting to put as much distance between him and CRDL as possible. He knew that he had let himself go there for a moment and it displeased him greatly. Ruby looked up at her crush and quickly took his hand, as to share some positive feeling with him. The merc looked down to see the young leader's smiling face and he couldn't help but smile a little as well. Mercer gripped her hand a little tighter and looked back up, feeling much better than before.

With time the ten students began to hear music in the distance. As they got closer, it was easy to tell that it was jazz music that was playing. Mercer and Rouge's eyes widened, they knew this song because only one person played it. Eventually they were able to trace the music to a classroom. More specifically... the classroom they were supposed to be in.

Mercer opened the door quietly and the sound of the jazz music became crystal clear. The room was the standard size as all the other classrooms in the school, only there were no desk and only chairs pushed to one corner. On the other side of the classroom was a teacher's desk. And on that desk was a familiar saxophone playing half Faunus.

Marcus Twilight.

Marcus was currently in the middle of a song when his new students walked in. He paid them no attention and continued to play. Why was this retired mercenary/hunter here? Well Ozpin approached the jazz lover after Mercer's excursion to Ironbark Forest. The two agreed that Mercer needed to be watched a little closer after the incident. So here Marcus was, teaching the jade eyed man and his group of friends.

Upon finishing his musical number, Marcus put down his instrument and looked at his new students. "Ah, welcome all to my humble abode of learning," he said with a straight face and a tilt of his black fedora. The students, other than Mercer and Rouge, found their new instructor to be on the strange side. Not Port strange, but up there.

Rouge wasted no time in donning a wide grin and walking up to the cougar Faunus. "Well Marcus, it's been a long time," he said patting his old acquaintance on the shoulder.

Marcus didn't even bat an eye as he move Rouge's hand away from him. "Normally I'd be fine with kind of greeting Rouge, but I'm your teacher now. I expect you to show me some some respect."

Ruby stepped up from the group to ask something. "Um Rouge... how do you know our professor," she asked innocently. Rouge turned around knowing his next sentence would give a certain merc a headache.

"Oh, this stone faced individual is Mercer's mentor from a long time ago."

Immediately all heads shot back to Mercer, who was glaring at Rouge for opening his mouth. Mercer looked back at RWBY and JNPR and nodded. The revelation that their new teacher had helped mold Mercer into the supreme badass that he is excited them somewhat.

"Alright, everyone take a seat, get some rest now. Because you'll all be hurting a lot very soon," the veteran's words caused the eight huntsmen in training to sweat some while the two ex-mercs sat down without complaints. The others soon joined and CRDL walked in a few minutes later and sat as far away from Mercer as possible. Marcus went and closed the door before standing in front of his new class.

"Now then, let's get started. This... is Human/Faunus Combat Class. You'll find it to be similar to Miss Goodwitch's class in some aspects. But in here, your sole focus is to become more proficient in battling other people as well as dealing with tactics used by said people. Most of the time... you will be fighting or studying methods and techniques that have been created over the years," Marcus paused to see if everyone was listening before continuing. "I am aware there is a tournament at the end of the year, well this class will make you better suited for the situations one might encounter in said tournament. So now that all of that is out in the open, allow me to introduce myself... Marcus Twilight is my name, and I've been in the business of fighting for quite some time now. I'm a half Faunus so racism will not be tolerated in here. You're all old enough to not act like a bunch of self imposed little twats and being a asshole will earn you a free trip to the infirmary."

RWBY and JNPR were surprised at how blunt Marcus was with his thoughts. Rouge just snickered quietly while Mercer shook his head. The Viper's old mentor was as blunt as Rouge was perverted. This was going to be a long class. Cardin on the other hand was sneering and decided to be an idiot and stand up and confront Marcus.

"Why should I have to listen to a halfbreed freak like you? Did you mother have nothing better to do with her life so she fucked some animal," Cardin's banter was quickly angering people, especially Blake and Mercer. Even Rouge normal laid back attitude was replaced with a cooled anger. Thankfully none of them would have to intervene because Marcus was capable of taking care of himself. So the hybrid did the first thing that anyone would do in this situation.

He spartan kicked the jackass in the stomach.

Cardin immediately had all the air knocked out of his body and he was sent flying backwards straight into the chair he was just sitting in. Once the bully could stop the spinning in his head, he found that Marcus crouched down in front of him with a completely blank face.

The half Faunus' heterochromatic eyes bore deep into Cardin's blue ones. "You know, I've met some pricks in my life... but you," he pointed his finger at the Winchester. "You're a fucking cactus. I said being a racist would get you hurt but you still went and opened your mouth. Then you had the nerve to bring up my mother... rule number 1; NEVER insult a person's mother, some people would kill you for that without a second thought. So let me make this very clear... in this class, you are my bitch. If I say jump, you jump. If I tell you to drink from a urinal, you drink it all. You will listen to me completely for the time that you are in my class Mr. Winchester, and if you will do otherwise... a lot more will be bruised than your gut and your pride," with Cardin thoroughly on the way to pissing himself, Marcus stood back up and walked back to his previous position in front of all the students.

"So for the first thing on our agenda is pretty simple... I want to gauge your strengths and weaknesses so I know what to focus on, and to do that..." Marcus went over and picked up his instrument and pressed a few of the keys and it turned into a double edged broadsword. "You will each go against me and my Scatterphone for a few minutes."

There was small amounts of apprehension in the students but they knew they had to do it.

"First up, Mr. Winchester."

Cardin stood up and brandished his mace. He was fully intent on getting back at Marcus for earlier. He charged at the halfbreed... but Marcus sidestepped before giving Cardin a right hook to the face. Cardin fell backwards, knocked out with a busted lip. Mercer slyly grinned at Marcus' quick work against the racist. The veteran warrior had always been quick to address insults to his heritage. The others were wide eyed and silent, NDL went over and picked up their unconscious leader and dragged his body back over to to his chair and sat him up. Cardin would have to be taken care of later.

After Cardin the rest of his team went up next. They fared a little better than their leader, but not by much. "Next up, Mr. Arc... would you kindly," Marcus opened up his arms as if inviting the blonde. Jaune hesitantly stood up and drew Crocea Mors before taking a stance opposite of the well-dressed teacher. He then rushed Marcus with a vertical swing that Marcus blocked. The two began to clash swords with Jaune occasionally blocking with his shield. Eventually Jaune slipped up and tried to go for a stab, but Marcus moved to the side and slapped the blonde's wrist with the flat of Scatterphone's blade. The Arc dropped his sword and before he could retrieve it, Marcus placed his own blade up to the boy's throat.

"Not bad, but you still have a lot of openings. Try to work on that more," Marcus handed Jaune's sword back to him before patting the blonde on the back. Jaune went back to his team with a smile. This new instructor could be kind as well as harsh for the right reason.

Nora didn't last very long. Marcus allowed her to get in a few swings before he jabbed her in a pressure point and caused her to temporarily lose the use of her arms. Ren ended up getting into a hand to hand fight with the hybrid when they disarmed each other. But the pink eyed student lost due to his low stamina levels, Marcus suggested working on that.

Marcus dusted himself off before turning back to the students. "Alright then, next up is Pyrrha Nikos," the redhead stepped up and brandished Milo and Akouo before standing across from the teacher. "Ah, you're a multi-weapon fighter too I see," just then Marcus transformed Scatterphone from a sword to a bo staff like Sun's Ryi-Bang and Jingu-Bang. "Lets have a good fight Miss five time Mistral Champion." Marcus gave a nod of respect which Pyrrha reciprocated.

"Agreed Professor Twilight, I would very much like to fight the man who trained Mercer to be as skilled as he is," she said. In the background Mercer just watched with extreme focus. Pyrrha was easily able to stand up to most of the people here, but Marcus was in a league of his own. The spartan would have to raise her guard and prepare for a difficult fight.

Marcus just waved off the compliment. "I only taught him the basics of weapons. The rest is his own skill and pure natural talent," Marcus replied. _"And the fact of who his parents are,"_ he added in his head.

"Wait... _weapons_," the red haired warrior asked. That word had also caught the interest of the others as well.

"Guess he didn't bother to tell you all. Mercer is trained in multiple weapon types to a expert's level. He's a Weapon's Master, but the spear is personal and greatest weapon," his heterochromatic eyes glanced over at Mercer. "His entire style was his own design and only he can use it. Calling him a god of spears wouldn't be too far off. I might have taught him... but Mercer surpassed me years ago" Marcus turned back to Pyrrha and got into a stance.

_"I'm no god Marcus... there was a goddess of spears once, but she's gone now,"_ Mercer mused to himself. His hand subconsciously went down to Empty Promise. _"My mother could easily beat me without trying. She wasn't called the Celestial Spear of Fate for no reason."_

Everyone shot Mercer a glance at Marcus' speech. The jade eyed merc continued to be leagues above them all. Soon the focus shifted back to the fight between Marcus and Pyrrha.

Pyrrha rushed Marcus and brought Milo back and Akouo forward to bash Marcus and follow up with a slash. But Marcus performed a forward thrust that struck the middle of her shield. With his superior strength he stopped her in her tracks. Pyrrha countered by using the kinetic energy to flip herself over Marcus and went to strike at his unprotected back. But the older warrior was quick and his staff was quickly parrying her strike. Pyrrha quickly flipped and landed on one knee before changing Milo into its javelin form. Marcus gave her no time to attack as he quickly moved to her right side to strike at her. The redhead saw this and used her polarity semblance to move Scatterphone just enough out of the way to shift her body back and let the staff slide past her. She thought that her reaction time had been swift enough to unnoticed by the people in the room, but Marcus and Mercer had excellent perception and easily saw her use her semblance.

_"So that's how the rumor of her being untouchable got started, she uses her polarity control to avoid attacks. Very clever,"_ Marcus mused. While some could call it cheating, Pyrrha was just using all that was at her disposal, and that was a good quality for a warrior.

Mercer thought the same thing. He also figured he should come up with a countermeasure for her polarity in the event they fought each other in the Vytal Tournament at the end of the year. And with both of their levels of skill, that happening was very likely.

_**"You should just Nightmare her and kill her like that. Then dismember the body and give the pieces to that Arc brat. Oh how I want to see his mortified**__**reaction,"**_ Mercer's inner madness said, making the image appear in Mercer's head. The merc remained stone faced on the outside, but inside he was disturbed that his mind would come up with such a gruesome idea. He quickly pushed the madness down and focused back on the fight.

Pyrrha saw her chance in Marcus' guard being broken and performed a spinning slash that caused the half breed teacher to recoil backwards. The spartan shifted back and got into a defensive stance with her shield raised. Marcus just stood there as a cut appeared on his cheek and blood started to cascade down his face. He stared at Pyrrha before turning his weapon back into a saxophone and placing it to the side. His opponent was confused until he started to lightly clap his hands.

"That's enough for now. I must give you some credit Miss Nikos, your skills are very good. I don't think you'll need much if any help preparing for the tournament," Marcus said with a blank face, but there was some evidence to praise in his voice.

"Thank you Professor," Pyrrha replied before returning to her seat. The others were impressed that she had been able to actually hurt Marcus, seeing as the rest of her team and CRDL couldn't.

"Alright, next up is Ruby Rose," the instructor said. There was a flash of red and the young leader was standing across from Marcus with Crescent Rose ready in her hands. Marcus just stared at the small girl holding the oversized scythe.

_"...well, you don't see something like this everyday," _he thought. Couldn't really blame him for thinking like that. It's not like there is a large number of fifteen year old girls that run around carrying giant threatening scythes.

It would be scary if there was.

Marcus retrieved Scatterphone and brought out its broadsword form again. Ruby got into a starting position and Marcus remained the same with his blade resting on his shoulders. Using her semblance, Ruby darted at Marcus at a insane level of speed. But... Marcus just sidestepped her and stuck his foot out. Ruby, having no control of where she could stop, was tripped by Marcus and went sliding on the ground. Her friends winched slightly at the sight. Marcus went over and knelt down next to the red hooded girl.

"... ow," Ruby moaned out.

Marcus rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry about that... you need to work on your control of your speed. If you did that and combined it with this scythe of yours, you'll be a literal Grimm Reaper."

The others just stared at the veteran for a moment. How did he make that pun with a straight face? Eventually Yang and Rouge started to laugh loudly while Weiss, Blake, and Mercer just sighed and shook their heads at this ridiculous situation.

After Ruby had pried herself off the floor, Weiss was next to go against Marcus. The heiress used a combination of glyphs and quick stabs to fight her much more skilled opponent from a distance.

"Hit and run tactic... very impressive Miss Schnee. But..." Marcus suddenly did something that surprised everyone but Marcus and Rouge.

He disappeared in a static boom and reappeared behind Weiss and grabbed her wrist while putting Scatterphone next to her neck.

"... doesn't work so well against someone who can teleport."

RBY's and JNPR's jaws dropped. Marcus' semblance allowed him to move directly at the speed of sound from one place to another instantaneously. In a way it was similar to Ruby's semblance, only Marcus could not be followed.

Weiss knew she was trapped so the white haired woman surrendered and Marcus let her go. Blake was next and their duel turned into a battle of Marcus teleporting and Blake using her after images to try and outmaneuver each other. Blake was easily able to give Marcus a hard time since her Gambol Shroud was much more versatile than Marcus' Scatterphone. At one point it turned into a firearm battle with Blake using her pistol and Marcus using his weapon's gun form, a revolver with a eight inch barrel that fired the same ammunition as Mercer's Empty Promise **(It's a Smith &amp; Weston 500 Magnum if that clears it up better)**. Scatterphone split in half to make this, one half becoming the revolver and the other taking the form of a single-handed battle-ax. During the shootout one of Blake's stray bullets missed Marcus and hit Mercer in the neck. Thankfully they were using rubber bullets so the only thing Mercer received was a pain equivalent of getting hit by Yang when she's relaxed.

Which... still hurts like a bitch.

The cat Faunus broke from her concentration and turned to her crush. "Oh god Mercer I'm sor-" she didn't finish because Marcus appeared behind her before pushing the young woman.

Right into Mercer.

Now that wouldn't have been so bad if Blake hadn't been in the right angle to where she started to kiss Mercer when she made contact with him.

The black haired ninja went completely red before the cat part of her brain went "fuck it" and she grabbed Mercer and pretty much jammed her tongue down his throat. Rouge started to whistle while JNPR looked away and Ruby and Yang started to pout. Weiss muttered something about perverted cats and Marcus barely smirked at the sight.

"Guess that's the end of the spar," Marcus said.

Blake let go of Mercer with a deep blush on her face. "Nya," she mewled out before beginning to purr. That in turn caused Mercer to blush and look away from the Faunus. He really had a weakness for cute things. At this point Mercer was aware of how women like him, although the merc was unaware of those that _loved_ him, deducing that it was the same shallow crushes that most women had for him. In that retrospect he was as clueless as Rouge was stupid.

Blake quickly reigned in herself and became embarrassed. Steam seemed to come out of her head and she refused to look at the handsome man she basically just mouth-raped. The ninja muttered a apology to the spear man and sat down. Yang went up next and her duel was short; Marcus appeared behind her and knocked her to the ground before using an arm-bar on the blonde. Yang quickly surrendered in fear of her being damaged.

Marcus got up and looked at the clock. "Seeing as class is almost over we'll just relax until the bell rings," he said before going over to his desk and sitting down.

"But Professor, what about Mercer and Rouge," Ruby asked. The others on her team and JNPR wondered the same thing.

Marcus let out a sigh. "Because it would be pointless," that confused the eight students. "Rouge is too destructive to fight in a room and Mercer... honestly Mercer is too difficult to fight. He's not one to go easy one a opponent, so our fight would most likely escalate to deadly levels."

The bell rang and the students left, minus CRDL who was still unconscious. Marcus blinked at the pile of assholes before pulling out a scroll and sending a message to the infirmary and have them collect the four. With that Marcus pulled out a stack of blank papers and began to draw up plans for lessons for the next time he would see his class.

**Library**

After recovering from Marcus' class, RWBY, JNPR, and the two ex-mercs decided to go to the library and relax. RWBY decided to play a boardgame Ruby had and JNPR decided to read books. Well... Jaune read comics and Nora was asleep on a book if that counts. Rouge was sitting down against the end of a bookshelf reading a comic similar to Jaune. And finally Mercer was standing by the window looking out onto the campus. For some reason there were Atlesian soldiers on campus, and a lot of them at that. Mercer knew that meant only one thing.

Somebody he disliked quite a lot was at Beacon, and it was only a matter of time before he would halve to deal with him.

Yang had just explained to Weiss that she could easily win the game in a handful of moves and the heiress stood up and got a evil look on her face. "HAHAHA! Fear the almighty power of my forces, cower as they pillage your homes and weep as they take your children from your very arms-"

"Trap card," with that Yang rearranged all the pieces on the board. "Your armies have been destroyed," the blonde stated smugly.

"Ah, I hate this game of emotions we play," Weiss said as she began to cry.

Ruby jumped into Weiss' lap. "Stay strong Weiss, we'll make it through this together," she said and hugged onto the heiress.

"Shut up, don't touch me," the Schnee said before hugging the smaller girl back. Rouge started to snicker and Mercer sweatdropped at the sight.

Yang started to talk to Blake but the cat Faunus was distracted. Then Jaune got up and walked over to the group.

"Hey, can I play," he asked.

"Sorry Jaune, we already got four people," Ruby stated.

"Besides, this game requires a certain level of tactical cunning I seriously doubt you possess," was Weiss' response.

"Uh... you attack your own naval fleet two turns ago," Yang cut in.

Weiss growled in response.

"Bring it on Ice Queen, I'll have you know I've been told that I'm a natural born leader," Jaune countered.

"By who? Your mother?" Rouge really had to resist bursting into laughter at that.

"And Pyrrha."

"Hello again," the redhead said in the background.

"C'mon, let me play your hand for a turn," the Arc begged Weiss.

"Hmph, I'm not trusting you with the good citizens of Vacuo," she barked.

"Why not?! You've trusted me with way more important stuff before. I mean you us all Blake is secretly a-" he didn't get to finish because Pyrrha jumped up and covered his mouth.

"-fun-loving person, whom we all admire and respect," the spartan said quickly.

That didn't stop Blake from staring at them all harshly. Mercer just shook his head and went back to gazing out the window.

**_"You know Viper, if seeing these soldiers bothers you so much why don't we go kill a few to let that shitbag know we don't want to be fucked with,"_** his instincts suggested.

Mercer narrowed his eyes. _"That would only make things worse. Killing them would cause the whole of Atlas to call for my blood and I do NOT want to take on an entire continent just because I'm annoyed with one person,"_ he said in his head.

**_"Damn, thought you would actually listen to me for once."_**

_"Piss off."_

**_"Up yours too Viper."_**

While Mercer was having a argument with... himself, Sun and Neptune showed up.

"Sup losers," the monkey Faunus said with a smile.

"Hey Sun," Ruby said.

"Ruby, Yang, Blake, Ice Queen-"

"Why does everyone keep calling me that," Weiss asked distraughtly.

Sun continued. "Rouge," the tiger Faunus stood up and gave a lazy salute and a grin. Sun looked over at Mercer. "Badass McLadiesMan," that caused Mercer to turn around and glare at the blonde. "I never got a chance to formally introduce you to my old friend."

"Uh... aren't libraries for reading," Neptune asked.

"Thank you," Ren exclaimed.

"Pancakes," Nora suddenly yelled.

"Shut up don't be a nerd," Sun deadpanned.

"_Intellectual_, OK? Thank you. I'm Neptune."

"So Neptune, where are you from," Weiss asked.

"Haven," the blue haired man said. "And I don't believe I've caught your name... Snow Angel," he said suavely.

"Um, I'm Weiss."

Jaune was flabbergasted. "Are you kidding me?"

Rouge just rubbed his chin. "Eh, I've seen better," his comment caused Neptune and the others to look at him.

"Uh, what do you mean by that," Neptune asked, unsure if he should be offended by what the hulking prankster said.

Rouge jutted his thumb over to Mercer. "Mercer here can make women have wet dreams just by saying a sentence." The subject of the conversation felt his eyebrow twitch.

It was a true statement.

"No offense to him, but I don't believe you," Neptune commented back.

Rouge smirked. "Mercer do the thing."

"No," the dark hunter deadpanned.

"C'mon..."

"No means no Rouge."

"Chicken."

"I am not a chicken you imbecile."

"Bet you I'm right."

"Bet you you're wrong."

"Bet you you're a pussy."

**_"BITCH WE KILL PEOPLE,"_** Mercer's instincts decided to jump in on the dick fighting contest.

Mercer just glared at his partner before letting out a long sigh. "Fine... but I want 100 Lien in return."

Rouge smiled. "Deal."

_"What are they talking about?"_ was the collective thought of everyone else present.

Mercer walked over to the table. "OK... I'm going to need volunteer," Yang shot up out of her chair and was standing next to the merc. "Alright, sorry about this."

"Huh," Yang was confused, much like everyone else.

Mercer stood right next to the bodacious blonde. "Close your eyes," Yang could feel the heat rising in her face, but she did as she was told. "Now... tell me what you see."

"... nothing. I don't see anything," she said. Just then a pair of smooth cold fingers lightly gripped her chin and tilted her head up slightly.

Mercer then spoke in a voice so sensual it could be FELT by every woman in the school. "That's my world without you."

And just like that... Yang went crimson red and passed out where she stood. Thankfully she was caught by Mercer before she could hit the ground.

Jaune's, Sun's, and Neptune's jaws hit the floor while Rouge had the biggest shit eating smile plastered on his face. The rest of RWBY where as red as Yang was. The tiger Faunus was right, Mercer had talent. The snake eyed man placed Yang back in her chair and Ruby got up and began to fan her sister with the magazine Rouge was reading.

"Believe me now," Rouge smugly asked Neptune.

"Yeah..." he responded.

Rouge continued to smile and pulled 100 Lien out of his pocket which Mercer snatched from his hand. After that the dark hunter punched Rouge and went back to the window. When he got there his scroll went off so he pulled it out to see what it was.

**Mercer,**

**I would like you to come to my office as soon as it is convenient. There is someone I wish for you to speak with.**

**Ozpin**

Mercer's eyes narrowed at this. He knew who Ozpin wanted him to see, and he was not looking forward to seeing that person again. He told the others and left them to their games and conversations. As he left Jaune, Sun, Neptune, and Rouge started to play the boardgame. The merc knew Rouge wouldn't last very long.

**Ozpin's Office**

Beacon's headmaster sat at his desk with Goodwitch standing behind him. His old friend and Atlesian General James Ironwood stood on the other side of the desk. Ozpin figured James would want to see Mercer eventually since the young man was the Viper. The one thing he wondered was... what would happen when Mercer walked into the room?

_"James I swear if you insult Mercer anyway I will do horrible things to you,"_ Glynda promised herself. Ironwood unconsciously shivered from the blonde sorceress' thoughts.

With time Mercer and all his dark glory walked into the office with a very deep scowl on his face. Oh this would be bad.

"Mercer, this is General Ironwood from Atlas," Ozpin said. The General went over to the Viper with a smile on his face.

"Good to see you again Mercer, I hope you're-"

"Cut the crap Ironwood you know what I think about you," Mercer all but growled out.

Ironwood stepped back some at Mercer's focused killing intent towards him.

Ozpin adopted a questioned look. "I take it you two are acquainted?"

The Atlas headmaster turned around to say something but Mercer beat him to it.

"I see that the General hasn't told you that he tried to force me to be a weapon only he could control to use on the _enemies _of the Kingdoms," Mercer spat out. Now Goodwitch had joined in with Mercer in directing killing at Ironwood.

"Is this true James," Glynda's voice was frigid and promised pain.

Ironwood raised his hands in defense. "I thought it was the best for the Kingdoms, his power can easily defeat anyone who threatens society."

"I am not some Dog of War that you can train to murder people you think is a threat."

Now Ironwood was irritated. "Murder is something you're good at Viper."

In that instant Mercer's icy Aura exploded in Ozpin's office causing the windows to shatter completely. The spear wielder stood with his tattoos glowing intensely and his face contorted in rage.

**"Keep talking and you'll have more problems to deal with than the White Fang,"** and like that Mercer stormed out of the office with Goodwitch right behind him.

Ozpin got up and walked over to Ironwood. "Natasha always hated you too. Guess it runs in the family." He then looked around his office. _"Looks like I need to call a window repair service...again."_

On the elevator down Mercer was trying to reign in his emotions. Every fiber of his being told him to go back up there and butcher Ironwood. But that was not who Mercer was... at least that's what he hoped.

Goodwitch looked at the young warrior and could see how he was fighting his anger at the moment. She wanted to say something, but couldn't find the right words to use.

"Was he right?

The blonde looked over to see that Mercer was talking to himself. "Am I nothing more than a killer?"

Mercer was broken out of his morbid thoughts when Goodwitch's arms wrapped around his neck. She nuzzled her face into his back and she could fell his heartbeat returning to a steady pace. "Just ignore James, he doesn't know a thing about you, you know how I know," Mercer remained silent so she continued. "You're the most kind and noble soul I have ever seen in my life Mercer. Yes you have taken lives but that was because there was no other choice. When I look at you I don't see a murderer, I see a young man who fights against the darkness like no one else can," Goodwitch buried her head into his back more. "Never forget that."

Mercer let out a deep breath and gently grasped one of Glynda's hand. "Thank you for that, I needed the reassurance."

Goodwitch let go of him and moved in front of him. The sorceress blushed and leaned in to kiss his cheek. But... because the world loves to mess with Mercer... the elevator landed on the ground floor with a thud causing Goodwitch to shift slightly. So instead of planting a kiss on his cheek, the blonde ended up kissing his lips.

It was a split second thing, but the bespectacled teacher was on cloud nine as the seconds her lips made contact with Mercer's. As soon as the door opened she backed up.

"I'MSOSORRYTHATHAPPENED," she yelled out before bolting away from Mercer.

The merc just stood in placed and wondered why the hell this kept happening today. Eventually he shrugged it off and walked towards the dorm halls.

**Dorms**

Mercer was about to be back at his room when he ran into someone when he turned the corner. He opened his eyes to see that the person he bumped into was a woman with shoulder length black hair that was pulled over one of her shoulders and fiery yellow-orange eyes. Another thing Mercer noticed was the woman was attractive, VERY attractive for the matter. Seriously she could easily outdo Yang in looks.

"I'm sorry about that, wasn't paying attention," the merc apologized.

The woman let out a seductive chuckle. "It's quite alright, I can't be mad at such a handsome man like you," even her voice was beautiful.

"... judging by that uniform you're wearing I'd say you're a transfer from Haven here for the Vytal Festival," Mercer said.

"Clever and good looking... you're the whole package..."

"My apologizes, I'm Mercer."

The woman smiled. "Cinder, it was a great pleasure to meet you Mercer," Cinder said sensually before walking away with a extra swing in her hips.

Once she was gone Mercer stopped staring at where Cinder had left. He'd had quite the day; kissed twice, wanted to kill two people, and now the image over Cinder's shapely ass swinging back and forth was burned into his brain. He needed to sleep before he went crazy. More than he already was.

**With Cinder**

Cinder Fall could feel the blazing heat in between her legs as she strolled back to the room she shared with Mercury and Emerald. If she didn't have a plan in place, the flame temptress would have taken Mercer right there in the hall and had her way with him until neither of them could walk.

_"Not now... but soon Mercer, you will me mine and mine alone,"_ Cinder thought. Things were going just how she wanted.

**Elsewhere in Vale**

The shadow figure in the gas mask that was working with Cinder walked into a warehouse with only a small table and a single light being the contents. The mysterious man walked up to the table and pulled something out of his pocket and placed it on the table.

It was a picture of Mercer.

"This is your target. You've been paid in advance so don't ask for more money. You have only one job... kill him."

No voice answered the man, but a giant ax/meat-grinding hammer came down on the picture of Mercer cutting it in halve and destroying a table in the process.

Underneath the gas mask, the man let out a fanged grin.

** And that's the end.**

** LOT happened here.**

** Each girl after Mercer (so far) had a moment with him.**

** Cinder is now in the pairing running for Mercer and this ship is known as TwistedEmbers.**

** Mercer did something just like Cinder and had a few dark moments.**

**We learned more about Mercer's mother Natasha.**

** Marcus is now a teacher at Beacon... poor bastards.**

** Now that thing I mentioned at the start of the chapter... those little World of Remnant info videos we've gotten has given me an idea. A series of filler chapters focused on past events in Mercer's life before the start of the story. I'm calling them "The Chronicles of the Viper." I have no idea how many I'm doing or exactly when they'll pop up, most likely at random times.**

** Please be sure to review, comment, and PM. Also I'll try to upload faster for the sake of all you readers.**

** I'll see you all next time and its good to be back!**


	22. Chapter 19

**RWBY: Viper's Glare**

** In the words of Vegeta from the Dragonball Z Abridged series... I'M BACK BITCHES!**

** After last chapter you all learned that I am indeed a fan of Team Four Star's work, those guy's are just way too good at what they do. I can say now there will be absolutely more times I use bits from their abridged series in here.**

** So now I'm going to address a few readers on questions they asked, so bear with me for a moment.**

** awesome guy- Mercer will fight them in the future, and it will be very violent.**

** AK74FU2- Believe me, it will get a lot worse than what it is right now.**

** Alright that's all of them for now, lets continue. Now this chapter is mostly filler but there is one moment that will reveal a great deal about Mercer's family. Originally it was just going to be a purely fun and partly smutty chapter but I wanted to have a serious moment. Which reminds me... there will be a lime in this chapter to wet your perverted appetites. Granted it's for my Venom fans but you can all appreciate it. **

** And now I just remembered that I was going to list out all the current pairings to refresh your memories:**

** Mercer/Ruby- BloodRose**

** Mercer/Blake- Venom**

** Mercer/Yang- TaintedFire**

** Mercer/Goodwitch- DarkMagic**

** Mercer/Cinder- TwistedEmbers**

** And there's just one more but you'll have to wait a bit for that one.**

** So no more waiting, let the story begin.**

** Disclaimer: See previous chapters.**

**Chapter 19: Ninjas of Lust**

**Blake's Dream**

_Red._

_ That was the dominant color she could see around her. _

_ Crimson leaves fluttered through the wind as she looked out over the hill. A tan colored sky and the shattered moon gave backdrop to the scene before her. The forest was vast and peaceful, a perfect setting._

_ Long arms draped around her neck suddenly, but she was not alarmed. Blake leaned back into the figure that held her close. His strong arms kept her secure as the figure inhaled deeply into her hair, taking in Blake's scent. Slowly she began to purr, her mind in absolute bliss at the fact her love was embracing her so._

_ She turned around to look at the man who had captured her heart. His arms moved down to her waist, gently rubbing her back and sending shivers up her spine at his touch._

_ "My beautiful kitten," the man whispered into her ears. "You are my everything... and I will treat you like the goddess you are._

_ Blake practically melted into happiness at his declaration. "Mercer... take me. All of me is yours."_

_ Mercer leaned down and brought his face to Blake's collarbone. Gently he brought out his tongue and ran it up her neck until he reached her lips. She moaned in pleasure as the merc claimed her lips in a fierce, passionate kiss. Mercer's jade eyes never removed themselves from the cat Faunus as pulled away from Blake._

_ "If that is what my Ninja of Love desires... than so it shall be," he replied in a husky tone as he began to undress her. A burning need for him continued to rise as Mercer ran his hands all over Blake's body. She closed her eyes and let the lust take over._

_ That is... until she woke up._

**RWBY Dorm**

Blake shot up out of her bed with her eyes wide. Her breath was rapid and sweat gleamed on her skin. She sat there for a moment and processed what had just happened. The cat Faunus had a rather steamy dream about the snake eyed hunter in the room next door. She hadn't had these dreams before so she figured it was just a random occurrence. Looking around the room Blake noticed that the rest of her team was still asleep. And for good reason, the clock on the dresser read 5:07 A.M. Blake calmed her breath and pulled her bed's comforter off before swinging her legs off the side of the bed. When she did that, Blake felt a sudden chill in her lower body. Looking down, her face turned scarlet when she realized that the pair of panties she was wearing had a wet spot on them. Knowing the embarrassment she'd have to face if anyone found out, Blake stealthily grabbed a change of clothes and headed to the bathroom.

The hot water felt exhilarating as it washed over the cat Faunus' body, cleansing her of all the dirt. She stood there and stared off into space as she unconsciously washed her toned body while her mind was glued on what her mind had created the night before.

_"I can't believe I had a wet dream about Mercer... this is so embarrassing,"_ Blake thought as she lathered her body in soap. _"Dust only knows what would have happened if I had been caught."_ As she continued to stand there her thoughts once again drifted to the subject of her steamy dream. Mercer's broad shoulders, his silky obsidian hair, that godly ripped body, and that pair of absolutely enchanting jade eyes that enrapture anyone who looks into them. What Blake hadn't realized was that her hands were about to go over her inner thighs. When her fingers made contact with her skin, a electric wave of pleasure shot through her entire body, causing Blake's knees to cave in and she hit the floor. The black haired woman's entire body was shivering with pleasure as she sat in the shower floor, water still cascading from the nozzle. Blake's eyes were wide and her cat ears stood straight up. She knew why she reacted in this and the young woman really wished she was wrong.

Blake was in heat, and that meant she could not be near Mercer, otherwise she might do something to him. She knew this would last only two days, but that was two days with the possibility of her jumping Mercer. The ninja knew that avoiding the merc was the only way to prevent something from happening. The question was... how was she going to avoid someone she saw everyday?

**Oobleck's Class**

Somehow Blake was able to put some distance between herself and Mercer for most of the day, making sure she sat farther away from Mercer than she normally would. Now all she had to do was make it through Oolbleck's class and she would be done with the first day. Then all she had to do was make do the same thing the next day and all would be well. The overly caffeinated teacher was in the middle of a lecture about war heroes during the Human/Faunus War.

"Now, during the War there was one soldier who went above and beyond the call of duty to do great things. Late in the war, this one man went behind enemy lines in a solo operation in a vast jungle filled with dangerous Grimm and enemy forces to rescue a captured human commander as well as destroying the enemy base during his escape," Oobleck stated in a nearly incomprehensible fast tone as he zipped around the room while down his fourth cup of coffee. Strangely the green haired coffee addict had his own coffee machine in his classroom. Makes sense considering how much Oobleck drinks daily.

No one, even Weiss knew who the soldier was. They all knew of the operation, it was considered to be the turning point in the War because that enemy was was a major Faunus staging point in that part of the world. The soldier was never publicly shown, only his name was shown briefly before the man dropped off the face of Remnant.

"The man's name was John, but after the operation he was known as the Big Boss."

Everyone turned to Mercer who was staring off into nothing. He was able to answer the question when no one else was able to.

"That's... correct Mr. Knight. The soldier gained the name Big Boss after the mission. He was considered to be the most elite soldier in the Human army that all other wanted to be. He later started a private military company that is still in effect to today known as Diamond Dogs," the professor stated pulling up a photo on the projector. The screen brought up a man in his mid twenties, early thirties dressed in camouflage combat attire. The man had brown hair and beard, a bandanna around his forehead, and one emerald green eye while the other was covered by a leather eye-patch. Oobleck turned to Mercer with a raised eyebrow. "Mr. Knight, how did you know that he was known as Big Boss?"

Mercer looked down at the professor, his mind wandering through his memories. The merc stood up and walked down to Oobleck. He pulled out his scroll and showed a picture to the coffee addict. Oobleck stared at the picture before looking back at Mercer, sending him a look saying he understood. He went back to his chair and class continued, every once in awhile the members of RWBY would look up at Mercer. The spear master was deep in thought until class ended, when he walked out of the room with the four huntresses behind him.

"Mercer, what did you show Dr. Oobleck back in the class," Ruby asked. The four girls had seen the merc deep in thought many times, but back in the classroom was different. There was a more... distant and somber look in Mercer's eyes than his normal space-outs.

The Viper looked down at the ground before pulling out his scroll. The four girls gathered around Mercer as he pulled up the photo he showed Oobleck. What team RWBY saw on Mercer's scroll was a man in his late-forties or early-fifties holding a newborn baby. Despite the man's age they could clearly see that he was the Big Boss. The Big Boss in the picture had a full beard, hair pulled back into a small ponytail, multiple facial scars, and a cybernetic left arm. He had a smile on his face as he looked down at the child in his hands. The baby had a small patch of black hair... that's when the girls realized something. The baby... was Mercer.

"The Big Boss' full name is John Knight... he was my father."

RWBY looked back up at the jade eyed warrior with absolute shock. Mercer continued. "To this day my father's name carries respect among to those who live on the battlefield. I've wanted nothing more than to see him for fifteen years along with my mother."

"What happened," Yang asked. The others had the same thing in mind.

Mercer closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. "When I was four... both of them died when a building was blown up. I grew up without the one thing children need the most, parents. The orphanage I stayed in was good... but its not the same," after revealing that he was parent-less for most of his life, Mercer walked away from the four and spent the rest of the day alone.

**RWBY Dorm**

After Mercer's revelation, the young huntresses started to think. Weiss thought on what it would be like to have no parents, Ruby and Yang thought on their father, and Blake had an edging feeling of guilt since she knew that the White Fang where responsible for the death of Mercer's parents from the merc himself. Each girl knew that they had brought up a bad memory for Mercer but knew it was the best for everyone if the matter would just be left alone. The four decided to go to sleep and go about their normal days.

Although Blake once again had a steamy dream about Mercer.

**Next Day**

After jolting awake from a more than erotic dream, Blake's senses were in overdrive and her hormones started to cloud her mind. The slightest touch could cause her to moan out, and don't even try to think about what would happen if Mercer came in contact with the cat ninja.

So in a attempt to prevent a incident, Blake decided not to have any physical contact with Mercer. A good plan in theory for someone as stealthy as her. Except for one thing...

"Miss Belladonna, I would like it if you and Mr. Knight could go into the Emerald Forest and collect a Deathstalker stinger for me. I am sure the two of you can easily complete this assignment within the next hour or so," Professor Port asked in his normal boisterous voice. Blake was just about to walk into class when the large teacher stopped her.

_"Oh Dust..."_ Blake had no way out of this, saying no to Port would cause more trouble than what it was worth. She'd have to go with Mercer. "Yes Professor," she answered.

"Splendid! Mr. Knight is waiting at the cliffs for you," with that the mustached teacher turned on his heels and went back into the classroom. The amber eyed woman stood in place for a second before heading to grab her weapon and change. All along the way she couldn't help but have images of Mercer pushing her up against a tree and taking her right in the forest. Blake had to try to and keep her mind in check, but the dirty fantasies kept coming back stronger.

**Cliffs**

After ten minutes had passed Blake was at the cliffs in her combat gear and Gambol Shroud on her back. Mercer was standing there in all his dark glory with a book in his hand. It was amazing how alike the merc was to Blake. Both of them were almost always rea- wait... she's seen that book before. Looking closely she saw very familiar red lettering atop the black book. Blake's eyes shot wide open while her face got extremely hot and her cat ears started to stand straight up under her bow.

_"Mercer's reading... Ninjas of Love?!"_ The young woman couldn't believe that the man she loved was reading her guilty pleasure book. Now all she could do was imagine herself and him in scenes from the novel. Suppressing the dirty thoughts now running rampant in her mind, Blake walked up to the snake eyed hunter.

Seeing that his companion was now here, Mercer put away the smutty novel and turned to Blake. "Hello Blake."

"Mercer," she responded.

He looked out over the cliffs while she walked over to him, still keeping her distance from the merc. "The Deathstalkers are probably in caves this time of day. We'll have to find one and wait for it to come out," Mercer said, turning around and walking over to the launch pads. Blake kept her eyes trained on Mercer's pocket that had the Ninjas of Love book in it. Unfortunately for her, the spear master noticed her. "Wondering what's with the book?" Blake tried to stutter something out before blushing and looking away. Mercer blinked before continuing. "I saw you reading one of these while you were away from everyone else one day, thought it would be worth checking out myself..."

Blake at this point was completely scarlet at what Mercer had just said. Of all the people to catch her reading THAT book, it had to be the guy she was in love with. Mercer kept talking while she stood there. "... I'm quite surprised you're into this kind of thing... naughty girl." Mercer's last words caused her head to shoot up just in time to see him smirk lightly as the launch pad sent him flying into the air.

"IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!" Blake screamed in embarrassment as she ran over to the same launch pad and sent herself out into the forest with the goal of trying to explain this to Mercer.

When she landed Blake could see Mercer a few feet ahead of her. The kunochi quickly walked up to him before speaking. "I don't like that book for the stuff in it, I like the complex stor-" she wasn't able to finish because Mercer spun around and grabbed her before pushing her up against a nearby tree and placing a finger over her mouth.

Mercer got right up next to Blake, making her body react to his lavender scent and solid muscles pressing up against her. "Shhhh, be quiet for a minute," he said in a hushed voice. Blake was about to retort before she saw why he had hid them behind a tree. A large pack of Beowolves had just come into sight. There had to be at least twenty of them. After about fifteen minutes the pack left the area and Mercer released Blake, much to her displeasure about the lack of contact. "Relax about the book... I was joking, even I can do that. I won't tell anyone about your reading habits," the dark warrior said. Mercer waited for no answer and began to walk deeper into the Emerald Forest.

Blake sighed in relief and followed after the jade and black themed man, easily catching up to him. The two walked through the forest for around half and hour before they came upon a cave large enough for a Deathstalker to inhabit. The two decided that it would be best to hide and wait for the Grimm to appear so Blake jumped up into a tree and Mercer followed her up. The two sat there and waited for the scorpion to leave the cave. All the while they waited Blake couldn't help but think on her relationship with Mercer. In months that she has known him the former merc had opened up quite a lot to her and the others, but there were still more questions that hadn't been answered. The man named Mercer Knight was an enigma, each time he revealed something about himself two more mysteries popped up. She knew that his hands were stained red from the blood of people he had killed. She should see him as a monster, but wouldn't. Despite all the darkness around him, Blake couldn't help but love Mercer. Even though Yang and Ruby also felt this way about him, there was no way that she would give in without a fight.

"You know... you all are the first people I've ever mentioned my father to," Mercer's voice penetrated Blake's thoughts, causing her to turn to him. "In all my time as a mercenary, no one was really interested in who I was. All that mattered to them was that they had hired the Viper. Here at Beacon... people want to know me here, and I'm glad for that." Mercer then looked over at Blake and stared at her intently, causing her to once again blush and shirt under his gaze.

"W-What?"

Mercer responded with a low chuckle. "Its just that from what I remember, my father always respected ninjas. He would have liked you Blake."

The cat Faunus froze in place at what he said. He believed that the Big Boss, the legendary warrior of the Human/Faunus War, would have liked her?! Was Mercer implying that he would have taken her to met his parents? Was that his way of saying he loved her? Blake's mind was in such a scrambled mess that she didn't notice the Deathstalker exit the cave.

"Well, there's what we came for," the merc said before patting Blake on the shoulder. "Time to go to work."

Mercer jumped off the tree branch right as Blake registered that their target was there. She soon followed after the spear wielder and pulled her weapon off her back. The Grimm screeched out knowing that it was under attack and charged at the two. Blake used an after image to dodge to the side while Mercer sidestepped the monster's claw at the last moment. Using the opening he had, Mercer jabbed Empty Promise between two bone plates on the Deathstalker and vaulted up into the air. The merc then delivered a swift stab at the stinger, hoping to cut it off with one attack. No such luck though, but it was half cut so it would only take another strike to separate it from the tail. Which was Blake's plan since she appeared above the Grimm. As she fell, Blake swung her blade once and the golden stinger fell to the ground. Meanwhile Mercer had landed right in front of the Deathstalker with his back turned to it. The beast raised a claw to crush the warrior but Mercer spun around and thrust his spear straight into one of the Grimm's eyes with so much force the scorpion staggered back before it fell to the ground. As Mercer pulled his weapon from the monster, Blake carried the stinger over to him.

"That was... rather easy," she said.

"Agreed, I thought these things were supposed to dangerous," Mercer responded. He sheathed his spear and pulled a device out from his pocket before attaching it to the stinger. The device made a beeping noise before a balloon popped out from it and took off into the air, carrying the stinger with it. **(Praise to the one who can guess what that was) **The two relaxed knowing the assignment was now complete. But that peace was shattered when the supposedly dead Deathstalker sprang to life and began to screech loudly. Mercer reacted by grabbing Blake and pulling her into his arms and facing away from the Grimm. He knew that any injuries he got would heal easily, but he wouldn't risk Blake's safety by not shielding her. The monster screamed for another minute before falling back to the ground, truly dead.

Mercer sighed in relief as he looked over his shoulder. "Seems it didn't really have any fight left in it afterall. Are you alrig- Blake?" Mercer looked down at the woman in his arms was trembling heavily. "Blake, are you hurt? Do you need to go to the infirmary," he asked in a gentle tone.

"N-No... just take me somewhere we can be alone," she asked in a voice as shaky as her body.

Mercer looked down at her for a moment before conceding to listen to her. And luckily he knew a place that no one would bother them. The merc scooped the young woman up into his arms and made a bee-line straight to Beacon

**Mercer's Dorm**

Mercer had quickly made his way to the Dorm hall without anyone seeing him carrying Blake since classes were still going on at the time. He somewhat struggled to pull his keys out while he still had the beautiful girl in his arms but he managed to pull it off. Once inside he let Blake down and tuned to shut the door.

"Now Blake... what's-" he was cut off when Blake grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pull him over before throwing him on his bed. Part of him was impressed at her strength while the other half was wondering just what the hell was going on. By the time he was able to sit up, Blake was now sitting in his lap straddling him. Before the merc could ask what she was doing, the cat Faunus crashed her lips onto his in a feverish kiss, using the surprise to force her tongue into Mercer's mouth. Mercer could only stare at her as she grabbed both sides of his face and pulled him deeper into the kiss. At this point the merc was starting to get aroused himself, he couldn't help it, what guy wouldn't get turned on by a extremely attractive cat girl. Easy answer; no one. Mercer slowly brought his hands up and placed them on Blake's slender waist as he began to kiss her back. The make out session continued for another solid minute before the two pulled away for air. Mercer was about to talk before tears started to stream down Blake's face.

"I'm sorry... I can't help it. I've been in heat for two days. My body has been screaming for release. I-I'm so embarrassed... but I want you **so **bad Mercer," Blake confessed as she sobbed into his chest. There, she said it. Blake felt like she could die right then and there, but she had confessed to her love that she basically wanted to screw his brains out. The amber eyed woman didn't dare look up at Mercer's face, fearing him having a judgmental look.

What she didn't expect was to be flipped over and pinned to the bed. Blinking away the tears, Blake looked up to see Mercer staring down at her with a blank face. But his eyes told a different story. Those green pools had darkened with something Blake had been feeling for the past two days.

Lust.

**XXXXX LIME ALERT: DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE TOO YOUNG XXXXX**

In a incredibly husky and deep voice Blake could only have imagined in her dreams, Mercer leaned down and sensually whispered into her ear. "If its a release you desire... I'm more than happy to give it to you," with that Mercer immediately lowered his head and started to suck on Blake's neck. The young woman gasped out in pleasure as Mercer's mouth pulled on her supple flesh more. Her whole body shivered in pleasure as Mercer continued. While he continued to add hickeys to Blake's neck, one of his hands snaked down and unbuttoned her vest before touching her exposed stomach. The second Mercer's cold hand touched her bare skin, Blake arched her back and moaned loudly. Seeing that his actions were having a positive affect, the jade eyed man gripped her shirt and pulled it up to her armpits, exposing Blake's lacy purple bra to his eyes. Blake blushed as Mercer lifted her up just enough to unclasp the clip of the erotic article of clothing and pull the bra off and let her enticing C-cup breast and their harden nipples free from their prison.

"Such a dirty kitty you are Blake..." Mercer teased. Blake whimpered and turned her head to the side before biting down on one of her fingers. "Guess I'll just have to tease you some more," with that Mercer started to pinch and pull on one of her nipples. Blake went ridged and closed her eyes, making the merc want to play with her more. Soon both of Mercer's hands her kneading her firm breasts while his index fingers and thumbs pulled, pinched, and pushed the pink buds in the center of each. Blake continued to stifle her moans which made Mercer want to try harder to get her to moan again. So he did just that, by bring one of her nipples into his mouth and sucking on it.

"NYA," Blake moaned out loudly like a cat in a adorably sexy way. Mercer continued to suck on her breasts for what felt like hours to Blake, switching back and forth between left and right. At one point he started swirl his tongue around, further driving the amber eyed ninja insane with pleasure. This went on and on and there was nothing Blake could do to stop it. Not that she wanted to stop it. No, right now Blake was happier than she had ever been before, and there was no way she wanted it to stop.

Eventually Mercer stopped using his mouth on her breasts but continued to massage them with one hand while the other traveled down to her shorts. The snake like warrior kissed down her flat stomach and stopped right at her shorts. He slipped his fingers under the waistband and pulled down. Blake obliged his actions by lifting her legs, allowing him to slide the white clothing off one of her legs. Just like her bra, Blake's panties were purple and extremely adult for someone her age. Plus there was a large wet spot in the center of the fabric, easily showing just how turned on the cat Faunus was. Mercer smirked devilishly as he lowed his head back down. Gripping the panties with his teeth, Mercer proceeded to slowly pull them off to torture Blake. It worked.

"Quit messing around and EAT ME OUT ALREADY," Blake screamed out in lust. Mercer obliged and dove right into her soaked folds. Blake's head shot back and her eyes became as wide as they could become while she moaned loudly. The merc's long wet tongue lapped up her sweet nectar as more Blake's juices continued to flow with every lick of his tongue. All the while Mercer's nose would brush over the kunochi's clit, furthering Blake's pleasure-filled experience. Mercer continued to lick and lick the endless amount of liquid that gushed from Blake's lower lips. Eventually Mercer's tongue found her g-spot, causing Blake to scream so loud he was sure that at least half the school had heard her. But Mercer didn't care, he just kept hit that one sensitive spot over and over again.

"M-Mercer... I'm... about to... I c-can't hold on..." Blake's voice moaned out in a weak voice. Mercer's divine pussy-eating technique was driving her to climax any moment now. Mercer responded by speeding up his licking more and making the cat Faunus unable to stop moaning.

"MERCER," Blake finally screamed out when she had reached her limits, cumming so much Mercer's face and neck were soaked by her nectar. The merc lifted his face and cleaned himself before giving the woman he had just caused to orgasm to smirk and going up to her panting face

"Ready for more?"

**Outside the RWBY Dorm**

Mercer had just finished his most recent class and was doing a favor for the RWY of RWBY since he had a free period. According to them, Blake had stayed out of classes all day, something about her face being hot and moaning. Her teammates asked Mercer to check up on her since he had a free period. Mercer didn't hesitate in agreeing since Blake was his friend and he was genuinely concerned about her well-being. So here he was, walking up to the room of team RWBY ready to check on the teams ninja. He had borrowed a key from Ruby and promised to leave it on the dresser.

Mercer opened the door to the girls' room slowly, as to not wake up Blake if she was sleeping. When he entered he indeed found the black haired girl asleep with red-tinged cheeks. He walked up to her and placed a hand on her forehead.

_"She is a little warm, but not enough for it to be a fever,"_ he thought.

**_"Shit you've gotten soft. Just about half a year ago you were killing fuckers left and right like it was nothing and now you've downgraded to being a goddamn nanny,"_** Mercer's voice of madness bellowed out in a bitchy tone.

_"Can you kindly fuck off?"_

**_"And miss driving you up a a wall? Fat chance you homicidal maniac."_**

_"At least I'm not just a voice stuck in someone's head."_

**_"Smug cunt..."_**

"M-Mercer..."

Blake's voice caused Mercer and his inner insanity to stop fighting and focus on her. The cat Faunus was talking in her sleep. Suddenly Blake unconsciously threw the comforter off her body causing Mercer to blush and his instincts to let out a whistle. Blake's yukata was undone and barely on her body. Mercer could easily see the makings of a pink nipple on her almost completely uncovered left breast since she didn't wear a bra while she slept, her toned stomach and shapely hips, and a small pair of lacy black panties along with her mile long legs. Overall, it was a glorious sight for a hot -blooded male like Mercer.

**_"Damn... that is a sexy kitty."_**

He gave no vocal response but for once Mercer agreed with his inner madness. Blake was incredibly sexy at the moment and it was testing even his iron-clad will. Then it happened.

Still asleep, Blake started to remove her panties from her body.

_"Holy shit/_**_Holy shit."_**

Mercer did not stick around to see what happened next. He quickly placed the key he had on the dresser and bolted out the door. If he saw anymore Mercer might have done something he would regret.

_**"VIPER YOU MOTHERFUCKER I WANTED TO WATCH!"**_

** End, damn this chapter for how long it took.**

** So yeah... that was my first bit of adult content. No idea if it was good or not so I'll leave it up to you all. And because I know at least one person will be confused, that entire second day was a dream of Blake's up to the point with her and Mercer going at it. Basically I Dream-Cock-Blocked all of you, especially the Venom shippers. And I will NOT apologize for it. At this point you should have all realized I'm a sadistic bastard who LOVES to troll, so get used to it.**

** On to the next point... Mercer's father is the Big Boss from the Metal Gear series. I wanted Mercer's father to be a complete and total badass like his mother Natasha, so I took THE badass of videogames and stuck him in Remnant. And there will be more Metal Gear related things in here, the fact that I brought up Diamond Dogs from the yet to be released Phantom Pain is a clear sign of that.**

** Anyway, that's all for now, please review, comment, and PM me. Also since I haven't said it in awhile (I think), I love all you guys for sticking with me this far.**

** See you all next time.**


	23. Chapter 20

**RWBY: Viper's Glare**

** Well that last chapter was incredibly popular. Funny how that one line at the end seems to have caused you all to forget that the voice in Mercer's head is bloodthirsty and psychotic. Oh well, he can be fun since he's a mix of Abridged Alucard and Hollow Ichigo (frightening combination there). But I digress, let's get on with the show. Now we are at the events of volume 2's A Minor Hiccup, it will pretty much be the same as the episode except for a few new thing and Mercer and Rouge having their own additions. Might be boring, considering there's not much Mercer in it, but Rouge... well let's just say you will all be laughing really, really hard at what goes on with him.**

** So let us begin.**

** Disclaimer: I do not in any way own RWBY**

**Chapter 20: A Search for Answers and a Tiger's Love**

Weiss simply stared at the clock in front of her while Professor Port continued to drag on with another one of his stories of his younger life... again. The pudgy teacher did this almost everyday, its a wonder that anyone even learns anything. Somehow she and Mercer are capable, considering they both have perfect grades. The Ice Queen was happy that there was at least one person other than herself that applied themselves to work. Mercer was such a skilled a student he made it seem easy, even Weiss herself would occasionally ask him for some help, not as much as others mind you that, but still he seemed to be able to pick apart schoolwork with ease. Weiss was sure that Mercer's IQ was at least genius level. Part of her thought he would be a much better teacher than the mustached man who continued to ramble on below her and the other students. Right now the Heiress was busy thinking on the plans she and her team were executing after class was over to figure out exactly what was going on in Vale. What Weiss didn't outright notice was Jaune somehow make his way next to her.

Have to give the blonde credit, he can be stealthy when he wants to.

"So Weiss, you know I was thinking after this we could go grab a bite to eat," he received no answer. He took a second to glance at Port to make sure he hadn't caught him talking during "story time" as people have come to call it. "And, uh ya know, I-I've got two tickets to that new Spruce Willis movie if you want to make the trip to Vale, I hear it's awesome," Weiss still didn't answer, momentarily causing Jaune's confidence to falter before he gained it back. "Aaanndd... study together? I mean you're smart and I'm... uh, you know," Weiss just continued to stare at the clock, shutting Jaune out. Thankfully the time finally changed to four and the white haired girl smiled at it being over.

"And then I... oh, uh. Timed that one wrong I guess. Well... the stunning conclusion to this story will have to wait until next time," Port said as the students began to get up and leave. Team RWBY. Jaune, and Rouge were the last ones in the classroom. Mercer was there too but he was engrossed with cleaning his Casull handgun that he seems to carry around everywhere. The teachers don't seem to mind, even without it the merc is still the most dangerous thing within a 100 meter radius. When Ruby first saw the silver colored gun she nearly lost it and tried to take it from Mercer. His response was to hold the sliver eyed girl by the head with one hand to keep her in place and hold the gun in the sky with the other. It took Yang, Blake, and a promise of cookies to get the young girl to relent. Of course she turned right around and attacked Mercer with the most dangerous weapon a woman has.

Puppy dog eyes.

He let her see it right then. Of course he removed the clip first, wouldn't want her shooting someone or something by accident.

When the bell rang Mercer was able to put the Casull back together in record time before standing and making his way to the exit. Meanwhile Jaune was still trying (and failing) to ask the Schnee girl out.

"Weiss... did you hear me," Jaune asked as Weiss stood up to leave.

"No, no, no, yes," she answered each question he asked in order without so much as looking at him. This in turn caused the Arc to sigh and slam his head on the desk. The rest of RWBY walked by the depressed blonde right behind the resident Ice Queen.

"One day," Yang said to him before she patted his head as a way to comfort him. Of course... that day wouldn't ever happen. Rouge, feeling pity for the guy, decides to try and lighten the mood.

"Cheer up Jaune, I'm sure that if you are relentless you'll make progress," the tiger Faunus said in a upbeat tone. Somehow it caused the blond to feel a little better.

Jaune looked at the larger merc with hopeful eyes. "You think so?

"Absolutely," he responded with his toothy grin before walking way. Rouge found Mercer leaning on the door frame giving him a questioning look. ''Don't look at me like that... I know he's hopeless but I don't want to take his dream and beat it with a stick."

Mercer just shrugged his shoulders and turned to leave. Rouge just stood in the hall wondering what to do next until he saw two familiar faces walk by.

"Hey, what are you two up two?"

**RWBY Dorm**

After leaving Port's class the four Huntresses returned to their room to change into something other than their school uniform. They decided to go with something different from their usual attire.

Ruby was wearing a long sleeved gray with black belted cuffs and metal pieces on the left shoulder, a cross between a corset and overalls colored black over the shirt, a red skirt with her symbol in black on the sides, black stockings, her normal black and red combat boots, and of course... her red cape and hood. She calls this outfit "Slayer" by the young girl.

Weiss is in a pure white dress with black edging and two columns of black buttons on the abdomen with her symbol colored pale blue on the back and black frills on the end of the dress, frilly black stockings, and white thigh-high, high-heeled boots. The Heiress refers to this outfit as "SnowPea."

Blake had on white v-neck zip-up shirt that had black trimming and mid-length sleeves with her emblem in a off-white color on the left side, black pants with vertical gray strips on the outer sides of the legs, a black belt with a black curved piece of fabric, a thin long piece of purple fabric under the black one, black high-heeled boots that comes up halfway her calves with belted straps, her same ribbons on her arms, and her signature black bow on her head. She calls this combination "Intruder."

Yang was wearing what she calls the "Hunter." The outfit consist of a collared cream top over a black shirt, and over top of the former is a black article of clothing that consists of a raised collar, a strap across her collar bone, and mid-length sleeves that are gold at the end, around her neck is a pendant that has a smooth, round, purple gem set in a round piece of metal that has a point coming off the left and right sides and a small oval shape coming from the bottom, pair of crooked black belts with gold accents across her hips, and a purple piece of fabric with lilac lace around the edges hangs from her left hip, a dark gray article of clothing coming down from under her cream top that is either a mini-skirt or part of her black shirt that has vertical belted straps going down into her thigh-high black stockings, which have her emblem printed in yellow on the outer side of each leg near the top and a row of four gold pyramid studs above each knee, and a pair of black boots with a series of belted straps across them. On the back of each boot at the top is a large white ribbon tied into a bow.

"I thought that class would never end," Blake said as she was adjusting the ribbons on her arms. Ruby and Weiss were sitting on their respective beds and Yang laying on hers.

"Alright guys, today's the day. The investigation begins," Ruby cheered as she jumped from her bed onto the floor, nearly hitting Weiss on the descent.

"I'm glad to see we're taking this _so_ seriously," Weiss deadpanned.

"Hey, we got a plan that's... moderately serious," Yang responded in a tone like she wasn't too sure of the plan they devised.

"Right," Ruby chirped. "Everyone remember their roles?"

"You and I will head to the CCT to check the Schnee records for any other Dust robberies or inconsistencies. Seeing as I am in the family it shouldn't be a problem," Weiss answered in a smug matter-of-fact tone.

"The White Fang has regular faction to hand out orders and recruit new members. If I can get in, I can hopefully find out what they're planning," Blake said in a professional manner with her arms behind her back.

"I have a an old friend on the shady side of town that typically knows everything going on in Vale. Getting information out of him shouldn't be too hard," Yang responded in a confident voice with her arms crossed over her large bust.

"Great! We'll meet up tonight near Yang to see what found," Ruby said. "Let's do this!"

"Yeah," a voice called out from outside. The girls looked out their window and found Sun hanging upside down by his tail with a smile on his face.

"Sun," Blake yelled as she and the others jumped back in surprise.

"How did you get up there," the blonde brawler asked.

"Ah its easy I do it all the time," he replied smoothly.

"You do WHAT," Weiss yelled.

"I climb trees all the time," Sun continued to smile. Weiss just scowled in response. "So are we finally getting back at that Torchwick guy," he asked.

"_We_," Blake said, emphasizing that only team RWBY was doing this. "Are going to investigate the situation... as a _team_."

"Sorry Sun," Ruby started. "We don't want to get friends involved if we don't have to," the young leader apologized.

"Pfft, that's dumb. You should always get friends involved," the monkey Faunus then pointed to the open window. "That's why I brought Neptune and Rouge with me."

RWBY quickly moved to look out the window and found Neptune pressed up against the left side of the wall next to the window and Rouge casually latched on to the wall with one of his clawed hands and a half eaten sandwich in the other on the right side of the window. "Sup," the blue haired man said coolly. Rouge downed the last of the sandwich and waved at them with a smile.

"How did you even get up here," Ruby asked.

"I have my ways," Neptune responded with a smile. Then he got a worried look when he looked down. "Seriously though can I come in, we're like, really high up right now."

"I'm a tiger Faunus, we love to climb stuff," was how Rouge responded.

After Neptune crawled into the room and Rouge moved himself to the window, Ruby spoke up after they revised the plan. "Alright, I'll go with Weiss and Rouge. Sun you can go with Blake. And Neptune..."the hooded girl pushed the tall, nicely dressed man (who winked at Weiss as he passed) over to her sister. "You can go with Yang since she doesn't have a partner. Everyone good?"

"I'm fine with that... but we are missing something," Rouge said. They all looked at him strangely before he disappeared around the window. The six heard the sound of a window being beat on followed by the sound of someone saying "the fuck" loudly. A moment later a black and skin colored blur was thrown into the RWBY dorm. Upon further inspection it was found that the blur was Mercer, who was shirtless and slightly wet with his hair down, indicating that he had just finished taking a shower. Rouge promptly appeared back in the window with a cocky grin on his face.

The wild looking Mercer stood up and glared at his partner while the girls drank in his appearance and the other two men felt somewhat emasculated by the merc's presence. Sun might have been ripped with a six pack, he couldn't stand on the same level as Mercer and his stone solid eight pack. Neptune couldn't do much better against the spear warrior, considering Mercer's primal looks at the moment could easily sway any woman.

"Rouge..." Mercer finally decided to speak and his voice came in a cold tone. "Care to tell me why you knocked on my window, grabbed me while I was changing, and threw me into team RWBY's room?"

Rouge rubbed the back of his neck and laughed slightly. "You see... we are planning to go into Vale and try to find info on Torchwick and the White Fang and I thought, since you were involved with all this too, you should also be involved in the search," he said meekly. Mercer just stood there before motioning for Rouge to come into the room. The second the tiger Faunus' feet were planted in the room, Mercer's leg lashed out and his foot made direct contact with Rouge's junk. The large merc let out a silent scream and crumpled to the ground in pain. Sun and Neptune grabbed their own family jewels in defense. After a moment Rouge was able to peel himself off the floor he responded to Mercer's "answer." "OK, I deserved that."

"... what are we doing," the jade eyed man asked. Ruby quickly went over the plan and he nodded. "Since I would easily be recognized by the White Fang and Rouge's going with Ruby and Weiss I'll have to go with Yang and Neptune."

Mercer's idea gained a happy squeal from Yang who then glomped the merc. Blake and Ruby pouted some at the fact they couldn't have Mercer go with them but they understood his reasoning. With all that decided Mercer then moved to the immediate pressing matter. "Yang... can you get off of me," during Ruby's explanation Yang had spent the whole time running her hands all over Mercer's torso and back, making it somewhat awkward giving the atmosphere. The blonde hesitantly removed her hands from Mercer's godly body and went back to her former position.

"Actually Ruby, why don't you go with Yang," Weiss said in a somewhat desperate tone. "After all she is your sister."

"But Weiss, who would go with you then," the scythe user asked.

"Well... I guess Neptune could come with me," said guy in question gave a thumbs up.

Ruby responded by laughing. "Nah," and she grabbed Weiss.

"B-but, but..." Weiss was unable to retort because Ruby had already dragged her out the door. Rouge followed after them, a slight limp in his step. Blake and Sun left right after them, leaving Mercer, Yang, and Neptune alone.

"I'm going to go put clothes on," Mercer said after a minute of silence. Strangely enough he went out the window instead of the door. After about five minutes the merc came back in the same attire he wore when he met Marcus in Vale, only this time he didn't have his watch or rings on and his sleeves were rolled up to mid- forearm, showing off his tattoos. The merc had also adopted wearing a pair of black fingerless gloves to his outfit. Also he wore both Empty Promise's belt and the Casull's. After the first time he wore it, Rouge dubbed the outfit "Guardian."

After that the three went outside and on an airship and headed straight to Vale.

**With Ruby, Weiss, and Rouge**

The CCT building towered over the surrounding area in the district it was placed in. Being that it served as a way to connect Vale to the other kingdoms, it was important and invaluable building. Currently the RW of RWBY and Rouge had just made their way to the small courtyard in front of the CCT.

"WOW! I forget how big the transmit tower looks up close," Ruby gushed. She was walking side by side with Weiss while Rouge was behind them.

"Hmph, you should see the one in Atlas," Weiss said in a smug tone.

"That was the first one right?"

"Correct. Atlas developed the Cross-Continental Transmit System to allow the Four Kingdoms to communicate with one another. It was their gift to the world after the Great War."

"Looks like a giant metal toothpick to me," Rouge cut in, causing Ruby to giggle and Weiss to glare at him momentarily.

"Ooh look at me, my is Weiss, I know facts. I'm rich," Ruby mocked the heiress before trying to suppress a laugh. Rouge on the other hand didn't bother trying to hide his amusement and bellowed out loudly.

"Damn she nailed you on the spot Princess," the orange eyed warrior chuckled. Weiss started to stare at him with such intensity one would have thought Rouge would suddenly burst into flames.

The white haired girl then turned back to her partner. "Don't be a pest," she scolded. "Besides, the only reason we're here is because **you** like the tower so much. We could have easily just made a call from the library."

"I know but it's so cool, oh I'm gonna take a picture," the young leader pulled out her scroll but fumbled with it and ended up throwing it.

"Smooth move there Ruby," Rouge laughed. Man he was having a field day with how funny these two acted.

The scroll bounced a few times before hitting someone in the leg. Said person leaned down and picked the device up. "Oh, you dropped this," turns out that person was Penny, everyone's favorite socially inept ginger. When she saw Ruby panic came across her face.

"Penny?!"

"Uh..." the strange girl said.

Rouge meanwhile wasn't paying attention until he heard Ruby say Penny's name. "So this is the one you... you... you..." the world seemed to slow down for the tiger Faunus as he stared at the girl in front of him. His eyes turned to hearts and a cheesy romantic tune began to loop in his head. Roses seemed to frame Penny's face and Rouge swore he was looking at an angel. _"She's the most beautiful creature in the world,"_ he thought, in the next second Rouge was right in front of the ginger, clasping her hands in his. "My fair lady, I have been smitten by your radiance," Rouge delivered an incredibly bad pick up line to the thoroughly confused girl. Weiss' jaw was hanging freely at this... she really couldn't find a way to describe what she was seeing. Ruby on the other hand was visibly happy at the scene, the red cloaked girl thought this was a sweet little interaction.

"Whoops, this is Rouge, he is a old friend of Mercer's," the scarlet caped girl said. Ruby was able to pull the much large Rouge, who was still frozen in position with his mind clouded by love, before she turned back to Penny. "Where have you been," Ruby asked. "We haven't seen you since the night at the docks."

"S-Sorry, I think you're confused," Penny said plainly before she let out a hiccup, causing her to throw Ruby's scroll in the air, which its owner caught. "Uhh... I've got to go." Penny then began to walk away from the two huntresses and the love-struck merc.

"What was that about," was what Weiss asked to break the silence. Rouge was no help considering he was mumbling things about orange haired beauties.

"I don't know... but I'm going to find out. You go make your call, I'll meet up with you later," and with that, Ruby took off after Penny.

"Wait! Argh," the heiress scoffed before heading towards the transmit tower.

Ruby was able to catch up with Penny on a set of stairs nearby. "Penny, where have you been," she asked as Penny tried to ignore her. "It's been weeks."

Penny tried to play oblivious. "There seems to be a misunderstanding," she replied in her awkward tone before continuing down the stairs.

"What?! Penny..." Ruby slide down the stair railing to cut the ginger girl off. "Is everything OK," she asked. Penny was Ruby's friend, and that meant she would always be concerned about the strange girl's well-being. Penny just continued to walk away. "Penny please stop," finally Ruby decided to grab her by the arm to keep her there. "Look... I don't know what's wrong, but you have to listen to me. Those guys we fought at the docks, we think they're up to something big, something bad," Ruby took a moment to breath while Penny continued to look at the ground. "I need you to tell me what happened to you that night. Please... as a friend."

There was a silence between the two before Penny let out a sigh and looked at Ruby. She looked around to make sure it was safe to talk. "It isn't safe to talk here," she whispered. Ruby understood and the two headed off into the city.

Meanwhile Rouge finally snapped out of his trance and looked around frantically. "Where did she go," he then used his enhanced sense of smell to find Penny's scent, which to his surprise was similar to oil. "COME BACK MY GINGER GODDESS!" with his declaration, Rouge took off after his soulmate.

**With Weiss**

The Schnee heiress walked passed all the students and the terminals in the center of the room and headed straight for the elevator. She didn't want to have to be here long so wasting time was not an option. When she entered the elevator the white haired girl was greeted by a mechanical voice. _"Hello, welcome to the CCT, how may I help you,"_ the elevator AI asked.

"I'd like to go to the communication room please," Weiss responded, putting a hand on her hip.

_"Absolutely, could you please place your scroll on terminal to verify your identity?" _Weiss complied and did as the AI asked. After a few seconds of beeping noises the voice came back on. _"Perfect, thank you Miss Schnee."_

The sound of her last name caused Weiss to adopted a somber expression. She hated being only seen as a Schnee but knew it was a chain she was stuck with. So she put on a fake smile and walked into the communication room and was greeted by the site of dozens of terminals with various ones that had people currently using them. Weiss walked up to the front desk and was greeted by a holographic attendant.

_"Welcome to the Beacon Cross-Continental Transmit Center, how may I help you,"_ the hologram asked with a smile.

Still wearing her fake smile, Weiss answered. "I need to make a call to Schnee Company World Headquarters in Atlas."

_"Absolutely, if you could head over to Terminal 3 I'll patch you though."_

"Thank you."

Weiss walked across the room to the terminal and sat down. Taking a moment to compose herself, she released the breath she was holding and frowned. She hated doing this, acting like the perfect little princess that is blindly loyal to her family name. When the terminal made a sound indicating that the call was about to connect, the heiress put back on her fake smile and was greeted by the face of a secretary from her family's company.

**"Thank you for calling the Atlas oh, Miss Schnee,"** the woman said, visibly surprised at who the caller was. **"Good Afternoon, would you like me to patch you through to your father? I think your sister Winter might be here as well."**

_"Hell no,"_ she thought, but answered differently. "No thank you, I was actually wondering if you could find some files for me," she said in a "happy" tone. "I've complied a short list," Weiss then stuck her scroll into a slot on the terminal to send the information.

The secretary looked over the information before becoming confused at what Weiss was asking for. **"I see...** **if you don't mind, what may I ask is this for?"**

"School project."

**"Um... there are some sensitive documents on list mam,"** the woman said warily.

"Well then, I'll be sure to treat them with care," Weiss answered smoothly.

**"Right..." **the secretary trailed off. **"Very well, data being transferred to your scroll now."**

"Wonderful, that will be all then."

**"Are you sure you wouldn't like me to patch you through to you father before you go?"**

Weiss in turn frowned slightly. "Yes, I'm sure,' she answered with a painfully obvious bout of fake happiness, which the woman was unable to pick up on.

**"Well then, have a nice day,"** and like that the call was ended and sadness washed over Weiss. This was for the sake of learning the White Fang's and Torchwick's plans, for that reason alone she would suffer through this.

Now she sat at the terminal, wondering how things could have been different. Somehow her thoughts drifted to Mercer and the fact he was orphan.

_"Your father was famous Mercer, if people knew that you were the son of the Big Boss... would you have turned out like me?"_

For the next few hours that question along with many others plagued the thoughts of Weiss Schnee.

**Rouge- Vale Streets**

Rouge ran through Vale trying to hold onto the scent of his beloved Penny. A few times he lost it but was able to pick it up again when he expanded his senses. Also the fact he was able to pick up Ruby's distinct scent of cookies further helped him keep up the search. Rouge, despite the fact he wasn't that intelligent as say Mercer, Weiss, or Blake, one thing he was good at was tracking. Tiger Faunus had senses better than most Faunus, it partially contributed to the prowess of the now extinct Shere-Khan Clan, excluding Rouge that is. His kind could track a single target that was weeks away just on smell alone. Rouge himself was a prodigy when it came to his sense of smell, it was good in fact he could memorize who a person was based on their scent alone. Take those close to him for example; Ruby smelled like cookies, Weiss was expensive perfume, Blake like cats, and Yang like hairspray. Mercer on the other hand was unique, because his scent had changed over the years. First he smelled of nothing but death and blood, like when the two had first met. Later he had the scent of alcohol and phosphorous, when he spent time working at club. But most recently Mercer had one smell that Rouge deduced was natural scent; lavender. Hard to believe that someone like Mercer, a proverbial god of war, had such a relaxing and peaceful scent to him.

Eventually Penny's and Ruby's scents became stronger. The merc knew he was getting close then. When he ran around the corner he saw his ginger angle run into an alleyway with Ruby right behind her... followed by two Atlesian soldiers. Rouge didn't know know or care about the soldiers, all that mattered to him was getting to Penny. Rouge didn't possess godspeed like Mercer so he knew he couldn't catch up in a foot chase. He looked at brick building across the street from him and gave a feral grin. Running at his top speed, the orange and black haired warrior crossed the street and lunged into the air with a vicious roar, effectively startling some nearby people. In mid air, Rouge extended his claws before digging them deep into the brick building. Once he was sure about his grip, Rouge began to scale the building. Another quality about Tiger Faunus is that they are master climbers, and Rouge is no exception. When he reached the top, he flipped up and rolled before he took off running across the roof. Once he reached the end of the roof, he leaped over to the next one. A trick Rouge learned from Mercer was parkour, or free-running in simple terms. Rouge jumped and flipped his way across rooftop to rooftop, avoiding any obstacle along the way. Eventually he caught up with them on a wide street when Ruby used her semblance to shoot herself and Penny through a long alley. Unfortunately Ruby exhausted herself and let go of Penny before tumbling into the road... right into the path of an oncoming vehicle. Rouge was about to jump down and save Ruby himself when the most amazing thing happened. Penny pushed Ruby out of the way and stopped the vehicle with her bare hands. The result was the vehicle, driven by an old man who most likely pissed himself at what occurred, acted like it hit a solid wall with enough force to lift the thing off the ground.

Rouge's jaw effectively hit the ground.

_"SWEET BLOODY URSA,"_ Rouge yelled in his mind. He could believe that someone as small as Penny could do... THAT. It was like his own strength! Penny dropped the vehicle and kept running with Ruby right in tow. "Hahaha! Super strength combined with beauty, Penny my goddess you got my loins burning like fire baby," Rouge exclaimed before he took a few steps back and jumped the gap between the streets. He then scaled down the side of the building and ran straight to the two girls, who had stopped. "Penny! My love! I have reached you," he boisterously yelled, gaining the attention of Ruby and Penny. He then walked up next to Ruby and they both looked at Penny, who seemed to be scared of something.

"Penny?" Rouge's voice quickly changed to concern at the drop of the hat while Ruby was already like that.

"Penny, please... what is going on? Why are you running? How did you do that," Ruby asked worriedly, Rouge nodded in agreement.

"I-I can't... everything's fine," Penny said before letting out a hiccup again. "I-I don't want to talk about it." She let out another hiccup.

That didn't deter Ruby. "Penny just tell me what's wrong, I can help you," she pleaded. Ruby was beyond concerned for the girl right now and would not brush this off.

"Ruby is right, both of us are here for you Penny. No mater what," Rouge said in a gentle tone that was unexpecting of him.

"No... no, no you wouldn't understand," the ginger girl said.

"Let me try. Let Rouge try. You can trust us," Ruby said while Rouge nodded vigorously.

Penny then got right up next to Ruby. "You're my friend right? You promise you're both my friends," she asked desperately.

"I promise,' they both said simultaneously.

"Ruby, Rouge," Penny said as she showed them her hands. Her palms were ripped open and underneath... was metal. "I'm not a real girl."

Ruby stared wide eyed with her mouth opened. "Oh..."

Rouge said nothing... but slowly fell backwards with the sound of creaking wood and hit the ground with a thud.

Damn this was one hell of a day.

** And that's the end!**

** Now I know at this point... many of you are laughing and others are wondering just what the fuck happened. The answer is yes... Rouge is being paired with Penny.**

** … I'm not shitting you, this is real.**

** My friend who made Rouge wanted it to be Penny so I obliged his request. Truthfully I like it. So this Rouge/Penny pairing doesn't have a name yet... so I'm open to suggestions.**

** Anyway... not much Mercer in this chapter. Don't worry... he'll be in the next one. Which reminds me, I'm breaking up episode 4 of volume 2 into two chapters. The first one, which is the next one, will tie up the revelation that Penny is a robot (Everyone in the fandom fucking called it!) and give you the events at Junior's club, with some... extra things. The chapter after that will be Blake and Sun with fight scenes. **

** As usual please read, review, comment, and PM because I love you all and want to hear from you all.**

** Later.**


	24. Chapter 21

**RWBY: Viper's Glare**

** Sorry about the long wait, lot of... less than joyous things have happened since I last updated, but I'm back now so its all good.**

** On the subject of the last chapter.**

** You all really seemed to love the concept of Rouge/Penny, considering most of the reviews I got expressed the hilarity some of you felt. I still don't have a pairing name decided on them yet unfortunately, but it'll come to me in time.**

** So now onto this chapter. First off there is a tie up to the situation with Penny before we get to the real good stuff. Happy to say Mercer is back and is still the lady-killing badass that he has always been. So now we're getting to the chapter right before excessive violence! There will be a small fight in this one to make up for the lack of action in the last one.**

** Anyway, lets get to it!**

** Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY**

**Chapter 21: Neon Tango**

Ruby continued to try and process what Penny had just revealed while Rouge was still on the ground with his eyes wide open, currently trying to reboot his brain. The fact that Penny was a... robot, was still hard to comprehend. It's not easy to take in something like that with a grain of salt. Look at Rouge, his brain shut down.

Not there was a whole lot going on in there to begin with.

Suddenly Rouge sprang back up stiffly and blinked a few times. "OK... my brains working again," he said in a monotone voice, causing Ruby to look at him before returning her gaze to Penny.

"Penny... I don't understand," Ruby said in a small voice.

"You're not the only one," the Tiger Faunus added.

"Most girls were born... but I was made," Penny began, a smile coming to her face. "I'm the world's first synthetic person capable of generating an Aura." The smile that was on her face quickly fell and she looked at the ground. "I'm not real..."

Both Rouge and Ruby looked at the ginger girl with somber expressions. Neither of them knew the conflict of not being made of flesh and bone, sympathize with Penny on her plight. She felt empty and different from all others. An outcast in simple terms. Ruby was very familiar with that, feeling out of place when she first came to Beacon, thinking that since she was moved ahead two years, that she would be treated differently because of that fact. But now that's changed. The young girl has her friends, her sister, and most of all, Mercer, there to brighten her days.

Rouge himself knew the thoughts of being an outcast. He was the black sheep of his family, favoring peace and diplomacy over violence and intimidation. The Shere-Khans thought they had the right to decide life and death, and they paid for their arrogance with their lives, taken by the man Rouge considers to be his closest friend; Mercer. Rouge was the last of his family, the only one that Mercer showed any inkling of compassion. The dead eyes that once were the monikers of the Viper are gone, but the tiger still has a small amount of fear in him that Mercer will return to the creature he once was.

_"I am not a man nor a Faunus... what I am is nothing short of a monster. A monster that one day... will have to be put down."_

Mercer once said that to him, and that drove Rouge to always look out for Mercer, his friend, his brother. Penny would not suffer the chance of one day saying those same words that Mercer once said. Rouge loved Penny, he was more sure of that now than ever before. He would be there for her... always.

Ruby reached up and gently took Penny's hands, surprising the artificial person. "Of course you are," she said in a soft voice that carried with it more compassion and kindness than anyone had ever seen before. "You think just because you have nuts and bolts instead of squishy guts makes you any less real than me."

Penny was thoroughly confused at how the scarlet hooded girl was taking this whole situation. "I don't, um... you're taking this... extraordinarily well," she said.

"You're not like those things we saw back there," Ruby assured. "You've got a heart, and a soul, I can feel it," she poked Penny, which resulted in a metallic noise.

Penny smiled brightly at what the young girl said before pulling her into a tight hug. "Oh... oh Ruby, you the best friend anyone could have." Ruby responded by letting out a noise that signified that Penny was slowly crushing her with the enhanced strength she had.

"Ah... I can see why your father would want to protect such a delicate flower," Ruby squeaked. After that Penny let go of her and Rouge went and stood in front of the ginger. The leader of RWBY was wondering what the much taller Faunus was going to do.

The answer she got surprised her when Rouge lowered himself down and gently embraced Penny in a loving hug. All of them were quiet until Rouge spoke. "Everything Ruby said... was right. Its the differences between us all that makes us who we are. It doesn't matter to me at all what you are... because it won't change the fact that I care about _you_," he declared in a soft and caring tone that was unseen in the titan.

Ruby tilted her head to the side and smiled. _" I wonder if Mercer and I can ever be like that,"_ she asked herself as a light blush creeped up on her face.

Penny slowly returned Rouge's gesture by hugging him back. There was this strange... feeling she had, but wasn't sure of exactly what it was. "Thank you Rouge," she said.

The two pulled away and Penny turned back to Ruby. "My father is very sweet. My father is the one who built me, I'm sure you would love him," she said.

_"Note to self, have to impress her father when he shows up,"_ Rouge mentally reminded himself. If he didn't want to have complications with his relationship with Penny, he would have to earn the respect of her father.

"Wow," Ruby let out a small chuckle. "He built you all by himself?"

"Well almost, he had some help from Mr. Ironwood."

That name caused Rouge to narrow his eyes. Mercer had told him about the Atlesian General and his power hungry mindset. The jade eyed merc had a great deal of hate towards Ironwood, and with Penny being in the middle, the Tiger Faunus knew he would have to defend the ginger girl form harm. The only question was... who would she need to be protected from?

Ironwood and his greed?

Or Mercer and his hatred?

Ruby was surprised to the say the least. "The General," that's when something clicked in her head. "Wait... was that why those soldiers were after you," she asked, unaware that Rouge was starting to become angry at someone chasing his Penny.

"They like to protect me too," Penny answered, her bubbly attitude not diminishing since she was cheered up.

"Pfft, they don't think they can protect yourself," Ruby asked rhetorically. Rouge agreed with her absentmindedly, he had seen only a little of what Penny could do, so when he saw her full potential he would be in for a surprise.

The robot girl's perkiness faltered some. "They're not sure if I'm ready yet," she said. "One day, it will be my job to save the world... but I still have a lot left to learn. That's why my father let me come to the Vytal Festival. I want to see what its like in the rest of the world and test myself in the tournament," Penny concluded.

_"With myself, Pyrrha, and especially Mercer, she would have a great deal to test herself against,"_ Rouge thought, seeing as he himself and those other two are considered to be the greatest challenge out of the Beacon participants.

"Penny, what are you talking about," the leader of RWBY asked. "Save the world from what? We're in a time of peace."

"... that's not what Mr. Ironwood said."

"Check down here," a distant voice broke the atmosphere and got the attention of the three. It was a safe bet to say that the soldiers after Penny are about to catch up with them.

Penny grabbed Ruby by her shoulders. "You have to hide," she exclaimed. Then she picked up the red cloaked girl and carried her over to a dumpster. Ruby protested by was unable to get about of Penny's grip before she was tossed in. Seconds later Rouge was dropped in face first.

"She was able to pick me up..." the tiger said in shock. Ruby cracked the lid and watched as Penny lied to the soldiers before she went away with them.

Ruby but on a small smile as her robotic friend left while Rouge was trying to readjust his large body in the small space. The sound of a rat squeaking caused Ruby to fall back and hit Rouge in the face with her elbow.

"OW! Dammit watch where you fall Ruby."

"Sorry..."

"Jeez... bet you'd be happy if it was Mercer here instead of me."

_SMACK_

"OW! Why did you do that?!"

Ruby responded by letting out a huff and looking away from him as she began to blush at the aspect of being in a enclosed space with her crush.

**Elsewhere in Vale**

Contrasting the side of Vale that most people are familiar with, this side of the city is quite different. Many buildings were condemned and dirty and crime was a common thing. Calling it a faux diamond next to a crown jewel would be a perfect analogy. Night had since blanketed the city and the only sound that could be heard was the roar of a motorcycle. Turning sharply on a corner and performing a wheelie before pulling up to a building, Yang brought her motorcycle, Bumblebee, to a halt like it was nothing, on the back was a very discombobulated Neptune. The blue haired man learned the hard way that Yang's driving was very much like her personality: wild and unpredictable.

The blonde put her precious bike in park and pulled off her helmet before shaking her head and let her golden tresses flow out. She turned around to her companion. "C'mon my friends in here," she said before getting off the bike.

Neptune on the other hand was disheveled from the insane ride. "Cool..." he then shook himself back to normal. "So where exactly is _here_," he asked as he got of the bright colored bike. "And shouldn't we wait on Mercer?"

Due to Bumblebee being only able fit two people, Mercer offered to find his own way to Yang's informant, much to the brawler's dismay over losing the chance to have him embrace her from behind. But the merc was resourceful man and could easily figure something out.

"Don't need to wait."

The blonde and blue duo turned and found none other than Mercer leaning against the wall next to the door with his arms crossed and his eyes closed.

"How did you get here," Neptune asked, visibly startled.

Mercer opened one of his sterling green eyes and looked at the two. "I have my ways," he answered in mysterious tone.

**_"Did you just play the mysterious card Viper?" _**His instincts asked, perplexed by the situation.

Not dignifying the voice with a response, Mercer stood up and motioned for them to go ahead of him. Yang obliged and sauntered in first, with Neptune right behind her and Mercer taking up the rear.

**Junior's Club**

Music blared and lights flashed inside the large building as various henchmen lounged around the club while a small handful actually doing their jobs. The club's proprietor Junior Xiong adjusted his tie with a smile as he looked over his club. In a few hours his club would be opened and a good amount of Lien in his pockets from patrons. Despite the location of the club, Junior had plenty of customers considering his club was the most popular one in Vale. A few years ago that wasn't the case. Once there was a handful of rival clubs all over Vale that prevented his from thriving, one point he thought it would all go under. But one year... he hired a merc as a bouncer, a young but extremely skilled one. In that one year that merc worked for him, all of Junior's competition was driven out by that merc during skirmishes between the clubs and Junior rose to power. He was forever grateful to that merc, and would never stand in his way.

On the back end of the club up on the second floor, two young women stood in front of the DJ that was wearing a bear head. Miltia and Melanie Malachite were bored as they usually where. Part of them wondered why they stayed working for Junior, other than the money. Maybe they themselves weren't sure, but there was one thing that kept them leaving. The hope that a former employee of Junior's would one day reappear. They didn't know him long, but they found themselves to be drawn to him. First he seemed to be like a brother to them, considering the physical similarities he and the twins had, then they started to want something more... adult, from him. Needless to say, he was the prize and seduction was the game.

"HURRY CLOSE THE DOOR, SHE'S COMING!"

Two of Junior's men came bursting through the door before closing it and trying to block it. Whatever the two saw scared them shitless.

"What are you two idiots doing," Junior roared, angry at what his henchmen were doing. The two tried explaining what was going on before there was an explosion that busted the door wide open. What happened next was Yang walking into the club like she owned the whole city.

"Guess who's back," the blonde sarcastically asked with a shit-eating grin. What she got as an answer was the majority of the henchmen trapping her in place all with their guns pointing straight at her. In the background the explosion had caused the needle of the mixer to before off-balance and play on repeat. Eventually it got annoying enough for Yang to glare, which then caused the bear-headed DJ to come out of his hiding place and remove the needle from the record.

"Yeah... could you define _friend_ to me," Neptune asked as he stepped out from behind Yang. How he did that when he's taller than her, remains a mystery. Meanwhile Mercer just did one thing he does best, blend in with the shadows. None of the people in the club were aware that the world's greatest mercenary was in the same room as him, Yang and Neptune knew he was there, just not that he wasn't behind them anymore

"Stop! Stop, nobody shoot," Junior yelled as he pushed his way through his men to the two Huntsmen. "Blondie... you're here... why?" he asked, thoroughly puzzled of why the person who nearly destroyed his club was back.

"You still owe me a drink," she replied with one of her Yang grins.

"Oh, and why should I," Junior retorted, not wanting to deal with this headache of a woman.

"Because she's with me Hei."

A familiar icy voice caused Junior to nearly turn his head completely around, as well as make all the henchmen jump and the twins become shocked greatly. What they found was Mercer glaring at Junior with a impassive face. Which on Mercer, could mean anything.

"M-Mercer..." any other response died in his throat. Here he was... the mercenary responsible for Junior being where he was today, Mercer Knight.

"Hei?" Yang questioned.

"Junior is a nickname... his real name is Hei Xiong," Mercer replied. He then turned back to his former employer. "Answer her questions, you owe me this much Hei."

He gulped under the gaze of the Viper, not wanting to anger an almost godly individual. "Sure..." it was at that moment Yang grabbed him and pulled him way so she could get her answers. Mercer's eyes followed them before snapping back to Hei's men, who instantly scattered from the haunting glare.

"Whoa... what a woman," Neptune said in almost a purr. Right after that he saw the twins and straightened back up. "Sup," he said in his smooth way.

Unfortunately for him, Neptune did not fit the standards the Malachites had for men. "Hmph, whatever," they said in perfect unison before walking away from the blue haired man. After that Neptune decided to walk around the club while Yang collected what she need.

Meanwhile after everyone had dispersed Mercer started to look around. Even after all these years the club looked the same to him. The DJ had since turned the music back on and was adding ambiance to the place.

"Mercer!"

The sound of his name being called caused the dark warrior just in time to see himself get tackled by a white blur that knocked him to the ground. Strange enough a few months ago Mercer would have dodged that and attacked, but since coming to Beacon he has learned that this usually meant he was now engaged in a tackle hug. Looking down to see who is currently attached to him, the merc found Melanie with her arms around his torso and her head rubbing against him.

"Melanie," the merc acknowledging the white themed twin. He still couldn't believe that they were still here. He then looked up to see Miltia standing in front of him fidgeting with her dress while a crimson blush covered her face. "Miltia, seems you two still work for Hei."

Melanie looked up and smiled at him. "Good to see you still remember us Mercer, though I must say... you're much more handsome than all those years ago. Didn't think you could pull that off, you heartbreaker," she teased, knowing that little observation would rattle her sister. Of course, Melanie was enjoying his devilish looks as well.

And rattle her it did. Miltia, the more conservative and shy of the twins, blushed brightly at her sister's observation. "H-Hello Mercer... it's been some time," the red twin said softly. She and her sister finally get to see Mercer again. And now, he's unbelievably attractive, not that he wasn't when he worked here, but the improvements are satisfying.

Mercer eventually got Melanie off of him and the two stood up, showing Mercer's six inch height superiority to the twins. "From that hug Mercer I can tell you seem to be solid muscle... I approve," Melanie said with a wink while Miltia continued to blush. Mercer shifted his eyes away while a very small black blush came to his face. **(A/N: Considering Mercer's blood is black, it would make since his blush would be same color since it is blood rushing to his face) **Then the twins each grabbed him by the arm and pulled him off somewhere to catch up with the Viper.

Meanwhile Junior had downed another glass of alcohol to try and stave of the headache caused by Yang's questions. "I don't know..."

"How can you not know," Yang question, starting to get irritated.

"I haven't talked to him. I haven't even seen him since that night you first came in here. He paid up front, I lent him my men, and none of them ever came back," at this point Junior was standing up.

Then Neptune came over and slammed his hand down on the bar, causing the glass the club owner had to fall over. "So where did they go?"

Junior looked over at him before speaking again. "What kind of stupid question is that? They never came back. Who is this guy," he asked Yang. Part of him wanted to ask how she knew Mercer, his former head of security, but Mercer had made it very clear when he left that they were not to speak of how they knew each other, in order to prevent problems wither potential enemies.

"Don't worry about him, worry about **me **if I don't find out what I want."

"I already told you everything, Torchwick hired my boys and I guess he wasn't happy with them. WHICH IS SOMETHING I CAN RELATE TO," Junior's last sentence was yelled out at the various henchmen in the club.

"I have another question," Yang said, wanting to clear something up.

"What the hell is it," Junior asked, really tired of all the questions.

"How do you know Mercer?"

Junior went silent for a moment, trying to find the right answer. He had to be careful, considering Yang could very well destroy his club again is she didn't like his answer. "Mercer Knight once came in here asking for the easiest way to get to Mistral. I gave him the info while we had a small conversation over drinks. That was two years ago," he lied, sounding incredibly believable.

Yang didn't say anything, she just stared at Junior before nodding. Inwardly she was smiling, the blonde bombshell figured out that the dark warrior had a taste for alcohol. She could try to use this to get closer to the handsome spear man.

Keyword on try.

Meanwhile on the upper floor of the club, Mercer was sitting on a lounging couch with a small glass table at his feet. Miltia was sitting next to him in very close proximity to his body, so close in fact she was pretty much leaning on him. Her face still held the scarlet blush just from how close they were. Despite her being a shy and reserved young woman, Miltia was secretly just as perverted her more bold and open twin. Speaking of her sister, Melanie had just returned with a bucket filled with ice and a clear bottle in one hand and a shot glass in the other. A wide smile graced her face. Melanie made no attempt in hiding her attraction to Mercer, shown by the say in her hips and her dirty thoughts. Both twins wanted the Viper, and were hoping that one day they could have him.

Sitting down on Mercer's other side and placing the items in her hands on the glass table. "I brought this for you Mercer," the white twin said as she poured a shot from the bottle. "Spirytus Vodka, if I remember correctly its your favorite," Melanie then handed the glass to Mercer.

Mercer let out a small smile and downed the alcohol in one swig. "Not my fault I have a taste for the strongest alcohol sold in the Kingdoms,"the merc declared. As a side effect of his high speed regeneration and the Corruption Dust in his body is that Mercer has a incredibly high tolerance for any form of alcohol. The fact that he drink Spirytus Vodka, which is the most alcoholic beverage that is sold like it was water, is a good example. It was nearly impossible for him to get drunk, but that's because he never drank in succession so it was unaware if he had a limit.

Melanie and Miltia let out small giggles. "That's because any other person who tries to drink this is knocked on their ass in one gulp," Melanie said while Miltia nodded. "So what have been up to Mercer..."

"... it's been three years since we last saw you," Miltia finished. Both sisters leaned into the merc and rested their heads against him.

Mercer leaned back and released a deep breath. "Traveled around the Kingdoms, outside of them, fought a lot, killed more..." his eyes glazed over for a moment, memories of his various jobs and contacts coming back to him. "Was a guard for the wife of some Atlas businessman when she went on a trip."

"Sounds like a full experience," both twins said at the same time. This time Miltia poured the vodka for Mercer. He wasted no time and accepted the drink.

_"I wonder if Yang was able to get any information from Hei," _the merc wondered. He closed his eyes and let the burning liquid slide through his body and relaxed. The two beautiful women at his sides relaxed more as well. It was a blissful peace in a hectic world.

Although this peace would be interrupted.

The sound of heels against the glass floor and a shadow covering Mercer and the Malachite twins brought their relaxing moment to an end. Mercer looked up to find a woman towering over him and the twins. She was a fit buxom woman wearing what seemed to be a black suit, but the white shirt was a few sizes too small considering it was barely holding in her massive cleavage. The woman wore black heels, leather gloves that had metal knuckles, and yellow-tinted aviator style sunglasses that prevent anyone from seeing the color of her eyes. But her most striking feature was her hair. Crimson locks stretching down to her knees in a long braid/up-do combo. The woman adjusted her glasses as her sight never broke from what she came here for.

Mercer.

"So you are the the most dangerous mercenary in the world," she scoffed. "I was expecting someone older."

Mercer put on a scowl and his pupils narrowed. "Looks can be deceiving," he replied. "And I believe its polite to introduce oneself first."

The Malachites straightened up and shifted away some. They could both feel the negative feelings Mercer was giving off and that was a good signal to be ready to move if violence erupted. With the jade eyed man, any conflict could easily escalate.

"It seems that you are right," she chuckled. "My name is Maya, and I am an agent for James Ironwood," the woman now identified as Maya answered. The temperature around her began to drop at the mention of the Atlas general. While he remained stoic, on the inside Mercer was furious. Licks of black Aura wind started to trace around the dark hunter.

"You have to the count of **nothing **to tell me what you want before I put a bullet in your skull," the merc demanded with a barely constrained tone. Anything involving Ironwood was not something Mercer wanted to deal with. He wasn't one to have longstanding negative feelings for someone (granted anyone who Mercer didn't like are most likely dead), but Mercer hated Ironwood with a blazing passion. That man, in Mercer's opinion, was no different than the Grimm, other than the intelligence factor.

Maya just continued to have a cocky smile on her face. "I have orders from the General to bring you to Atlas," she admitted, this woman truly doesn't know who she's messing with. "Apparently your powers would be of great use to the General... I guess you'll be a good test subject in making perfect soldiers."

Memories of how he became the Viper hit Mercer like a truck at her declaration. He would never be a experiment AGAIN. In a split second, the redhead flipped backwards, because Mercer had picked up the glass table at his feet and thrown it at her. When Maya turned back to Mercer, she was greeted with a fist hitting her right in the throat. All the air was knocked out of her and the force behind the punch sent her flying from the second floor down to the first. Somehow Maya regained her focus and was able to stick the landing, coughing from nearly having her throat caved in by a punch, but other than that alright. The sound of something dropping from the second floor caught her attention and she looked up. What she found was Mercer now on the first floor with a look of absolute murder across his face.

"You know its not nice to hit a lady," Maya replied, rubbing her neck.

_**"Funny how she assumes you give a shit Viper,"**_ Mercer's instincts said, although he wasn't going to acknowledge it right now. He just kept walking towards the object of his annoyance.

Maya let out a sigh. "Oh well, guess I'll have to use force then," and with that, the two charged each other.

The bear-headed DJ moved to try and get a better look and ended up bumping into his turn table and causing the needle to fall back down and start the next song.

**(Play Jamie N. Commons &amp; X Ambassadors- Jungle)**

Maya was the first to strike, sending a flurry of jabs at Mercer. Being a agile person, Mercer easily dodged her attacks before countering with his own. Unable to avoid his punches, Maya raised her arms to block. The force Mercer sent behind his punches carried echos through the club, the lights flashing with each contact. Ironwood's agent eventually found and opening and began to fight back. The music picked up to match the two as each block was countered, dodged, or successfully delivered. It was almost like the two were in a dance, they way their bodies moved to try and one up the other, the ferocious passion of battle fueled the two. Yang and Neptune watched as Mercer fought with a vibrant desire to put this bitch in her place. The same could be said for the Malachite sisters, while Junior was more worried about the damage to his club that could be caused. Suddenly the redhead shifted one of Mercer's arms out of the way and grabbed his face. A small smirk appeared on her face as the metal knuckles in her glove sprang to life with electricity, sending thousands of watts directly into Mercer via his face. The spectators watched in interested horror as Mercer was continuously electrocuted for around two minutes before broke away. The merc held his face in one hand while steam rolled off his face.

"Surprised? Don't be. I'll use any means necessary to bring you with me," Maya declared taking her stance again, electricity cracking around her hands and licks of fire dancing at her heels. Mercer was quite until his tattoos began to glow the beautiful jade that they did when Mercer was in a serious mood. The green light shone off of the glass dance floor that was their arena, making it a spectacular sight to see. His slit eyes shined through his fingers before his hand pulled away from his face and everyone watched his wounded face heal and return to its original handsome form.

"... then I'll do the same to put you in the ground," Mercer replied and took the same stance as she did. Mercer had no hand-to-hand style of his own so he compensates by a little trick he learned. By having a keen eye and a near-photographic memory, Mercer can mimic the fighting style of his opponents in a drawn-out fight. But to add his own flare, he mirrors the moves to throw his opponent off. This is actually the first time he used this skill against someone he saw as an enemy, the others were Marcus and the members of Fortress. To amplify how serious Mercer was taking this fight, he coated his arms and legs in his black and green Aura so he could match Maya with her elemental upgrades. The tension in the club was so high all the people watching had to step back from the combatants as they prepared to continue their brawl.

On one side was the woman Maya, the agent of James Ironwood, cloaked in flames and lightning.

On the other was Mercer, the Viper, garbed in his cold and deathly black wind.

Mercer and Maya circled each other before once again rushing at each other. This time Mercer mirrored every attack Maya did. When she sent a right hook, Mercer responded with a left. Maya used a clockwise roundhouse kick, the merc met it with a counter-clockwise one. The redhead agent was beginning to sweat while Mercer maintained his collected attitude. She couldn't handle fighting a reverse form of herself, and Mercer wasn't relenting either. Maya tried to mix things up by somersaulting into the air and bring down a flaming kick. Mercer crossed his arms and blocked the kick in the middle of her lower leg to avoid the flames. He pushed back and she flipped back, just in time to see Mercer's leg coming right at her face. She leaned back as Mercer's foot past right above her nose, the black wind-like Aura grazing her ever so slightly. Maya fought back with a electric uppercut which caught Mercer, but he moved away before the jolts could do more damage. Seeing this as a good opportunity to land a game-changing hit, Maya jumped over Mercer and spun around to strike with a roundhouse kick to Mercer's neck. Her eyes widened in shock when Mercer brought up his left arm and took the kick, most likely breaking his arm, but stopping the kick. The merc quickly grabbed her leg with his right hand and pulled her into the air, causing Maya to spin. When she landed, Mercer had moved a foot back from her.

Then he ended the brawl.

Mercer pooled Aura into his right leg before unleashing a blinding series of straight kicks against the unguarded Maya. She was unable to even raise a defense and took the full brunt of Mercer's assault. Each kick was like a invisible blade ripping into her thanks to Mercer's Aura and it's cutting property. Shallow wounds started to form on Maya's body and she screamed in pain. After a minute or so Mercer relented his rampant attack and closed the distance before lowering himself closer to the ground. Maya had no chance against the rising knee that clocked her right in the jaw. The battered redhead flew back and skid across the floor. When the agent sat back up, the cold metal barrel of a gun was press against her forehead. Her now revealed blue eyes stared at the silver Casull handgun being held by the man who just beat her. Mercer's thumb pulled back the hammer and his hand was steady. It was clear that the dark warrior was the victor.

**(Song End)**

Somehow the needle on the turn table fell off and the music stopped right as the song finished. The spectators watched in silence as Mercer kept his portable cannon up to the redheaded woman's temple. Yang was worried that he would really kill her. She didn't think her crush would murder someone in cold blood. Neptune had developed a slight fear of the merc, seeing how brutal Mercer fights. The twins just watched on with impressed faces at how powerful Mercer had become from the last time they had seen him.

Mercer's eyes were half-lidded and his face was emotionless as he weighed out his options. He could kill her; but that would give Ironwood the ammo to try and launch some kind of crusade against him. Or he could let her go back to the General with information on how he fought; which could cause him to send better agents at Mercer. Either way, Mercer would gain more problems. As he contemplated what to do, something fell out of Maya's pocket onto the floor. It was a photo of Maya... and a young child with pink hair. Mercer studied the picture then looked back at Maya, who had a look of sorrow on her face. That's when it hit him.

That was her daughter.

Ironwood sent a _mother_ on what was basically a suicide mission against Mercer. Anyone who goes against the Viper almost never return and he sends someone who has a family to deal with him. Mercer wasn't angry, he wasn't pissed... no, Mercer was downright furious at Ironwood. It was at this moment he knew what needed to be done.

Maya was beyond confused when Mercer pulled his gun way from her skull. She watched as he holstered his weapon and brought his hands up to fix his hair. After that, Mercer got down on one knee and stared at her. "My suggestion for you is to get far out of Ironwood's influence, start over, and finally take care of your daughter," he said before going silent. Maya was in shell-shock before she recomposed herself and muttered a thank you before she got up and left Junior's club.

Yang ran up to Mercer and pulled him into a hug. "Don't worry me so much Mercer, you'll make me go gray," the blonde joked. She pulled back and gave him a crooked smirk, which he responded with a small one.

Neptune walked over and gave Mercer a thumbs up and a grin. Seeing as though they had no more use to be at the club, they left the establishment. On the way out, Mercer received a wink and a wave from Melanie and Miltia respectively.

**Vale Streets- Same Time as Mercer's Fight**

Most of Vale's residents were far in the realm of dreams at this time, but there was something that was disturbing the silence of the night.

The screeching sound of metal dragging against concrete.

If anyone was to look out their window at this time, they would see a colossal figure walking through the empty street. The figure was blacked out by the darkness of the night but it was easy to tell that the outline showed that this thing was a nightmarish creature. But the scariest thing was what it was dragging along the ground behind it. A abominable mash up between a giant meat hammer and a ax left a deep cut where it was being dragged. Whatever this... thing was, it was out for only one thing.

Blood.

On a nearby roof watching the giant figure was a figure cloaked in darkness. It was the mysterious accomplice of Cinder. His eyes never left the creature. "Soon..." the figure said through his gas mask. Suddenly the man's pocket began to vibrate and he pulled out a scroll. He was getting a call, and judging by how his eyes softened, it was a pleasant surprise. The mysterious man turned away from the light of the moon and removed his gas mask, making it impossible to see his face. He answered the call and spoke with a faint accent. "Hey... I'm fine... yes... yes... so your mission got extend... hm... so another week possibly... OK... can't wait to see you... I can't wait... I'm sure you can show me around Beacon when you get back... love you too baby sis," and with that he hung up. The man took a deep breath before putting back on his gas mask, cracking his neck, and finally slinking away into the darkness.

** Done**

** Words cannot describe how sorry I am for the incredibly long disappearance from writing. Things were just... hard in the real world. I will absolutely try to not take so much time in the future, I bet most of you thought I was dead.**

** Now on to this chapter:**

** The woman Mercer fought was Crimson Viper from Street Fighter. I will tie up the deal with her at the beginning of the next chapter.**

** Mercer did pull a Chun-Li with that kick storm attack, I thought it would be fitting considering who he was fighting. **

** The gas mask wearing man at the end's accent is a faint Irish one. I just had no idea how to describe that kind of voice.**

** Cookies to the one who can guess who that giant at the end is. And for the record... Mercer is going to fight that thing.**

** Please be sure to review, comment, and PM. Love you guys and I'll see you all next time.**


	25. Chapter 22

**RWBY: Viper's Glare**

** Hello everyone... not going to apologize for the lateness this time. Just gonna state why.**

** Was in a car accident the day after New Years, and have been dealing with all the bullshit that comes with it. Don't worry, I'm fine. No people were harmed... although my vehicle was totaled so that pisses me off greatly.**

** But enough about my problems, lets just get onto the story.**

** The questioned I asked at the end of the last chapter about what you guys thought that things was, the people who got it right were GreatZero (love your profile pic, I'm a huge Code Geass fan) and DJJJ1172. Congrats to you two.**

** As pertaining this chapter... things will get violent. I mean really, REALLY violent at one point. Those of you who are squeamish to gore might want to be careful. On the bright side, you guys are getting a epic fight scene which has taken me a long time to write the way I had it envisioned.**

** Third thing; for the sake of making things easier, the insane voice in Mercer's head will from now on be referred to as either Inner Mercer or the Madness. Makes things a bit easier on everyone.**

** There is a fourth thing, but I will bring that up at the end of the chapter.**

** So now lets throw caution to the wind.**

** Let chaos do its thing.**

** FUCK THE SYESTEM!**

** LETS GET THIS PARTY STARTED!**

** Disclaimer: We all know this by now**

**Chapter 22: Killer Instinct**

Ozpin looked out onto the city from his office. The lights serving as a reminder to what he has sworn to protect, the reason he started Beacon. Every little light was a person, and each served to further his desire to protect. Every decision, every mistake, has made him who he is today. Power and knowledge... his tools. But there was only one thing the Headmaster of Beacon was truly in the dark about. One, single thing that could either destroy the Kingdoms, or serve as a bulwark against the most evil.

Mercer Knight.

Son of the hero Big Boss, a man who carries the respect of the world even in death.

Living legacy of Natasha Knight, the woman considered to be a Goddess of battle born flesh, hailed as the Celestial Spear of Fate.

Mercer himself is infamous, feared by criminals and lawful people alike. No one wishes to cross the Viper.

One could say the Knights are a family of godly beings. But truly they are just incredibly powerful people.

And only one was left. And that Knight was who Ozpin was unsure of.

Mercer has no loyalty to anyone other than himself. While he is at Beacon now, there is always a possibility of him leaving. Or worse, join whoever is plotting in the shadows. Ozpin at least felt he should watch Mercer, considering he knew Natasha. Thankfully, being around the other students seem to have brought his basic human needs and suppressing the cold lifestyle of the Viper.

_Beep! Beep! Beep!_

The headmaster slowly returned to his desk to find he was receiving a call from someone who only contacts him for important reasons. Answering the call, Ozpin spoke clearly into the speaker. "Hello Maya, it's rare for one of my undercover agents to contact me in the middle of the night."

_"So it is Ozpin,"_ the woman's voice came out tired.

"Are you alright Maya?"

_"Fine... just... ah, a little sore that's all. After tonight I think I'm done with the espionage game,"_ Maya groaned, obviously still in pain from earlier.

The silver haired professor moved to his chair and situated himself in comfortable position. "Tell me what happened Maya."

A long, drawn out sigh came over the call before the undercover agent recalled her day. _"Ironwood has become fixated on getting his hands on a certain individual. That individual being Mercer Knight, the Viper. I believe you are familiar with him Headmaster." _Ozpin gave a short grunt in response before Maya continued. _"So I was sent to collect him, by any means necessary. When I found him, I said something that set him off. And we fought."_

Ozpin was silent momentarily silent. "I'm guessing he put up a fight?"

_"Ha... no. More like he destroyed me in single combat. At first it seemed like I had the upper hand... then he mirrored my style and destroyed me. He was... relentless. In the end he put a gun to my head. He was going to kill me. He WANTED to kill me..."_

"But he didn't," Ozpin interjected.

_"No... a picture of my daughter fell out of my pocket and he just... changed. He let me go, and told me to get far out of Ironwood's influence. And I'm inclined to take his advice. This line of work is a bit hazardous for my health. I don't want my daughter to grow up without me. I'm sorry Ozpin, but I think I'm retiring," _Maya declared in a tone that was final.

Ozpin pondered of his agents decision and could find no fault in the woman's choice. He had no right to keep a parent from their child. "Very well Maya. I hope that whatever you decide to do from this point on brings you happiness."

_"Thank you Ozpin. I'll give General Ironwood a believable excuse so he doesn't get suspicious. Hopefully the next time we speak, the world will be better,"_ and with that, the scarlet haired woman ended the call.

Ozpin spun his chair around and went back to gazing out at the city. The last thing Maya said, as well as her encounter with Mercer, playing over and over again in his mind. "A better world..."

The fate of the world now rest on the game of chess envisioned in the Headmaster's eyes. A battle of two sides... with a element that hasn't decided on its alignment.

The White pieces on the right.

The Black pieces on the left.

And the Viper coiled up in the middle of the board, deciding on who shall suffer its venom.

**Vale**

Blake traced the three claw marks on the wall with three of her fingers. This was a familiar sign to the Cat Faunus. Looking around the corner of the building, she could see a pair of Faunus being let into a warehouse by a older man. This was definitely where the White Fang was meeting.

"This is it," she told Sun, who was waiting for her to confirm that they had the right location.

"You sure," he asked, getting a glare from the young woman. "You know, I'm just gonna take your word for it," was how he responded, putting his hands up in defense.

Blake didn't bother to respond to his actions and just turned around. She removed her bow letting her cat ears out while Sun closed his shirt in some way of disguising himself. The two easily got past the doorman thanks to their obvious Faunus traits. While Blake hated to admit it, Sun was the only one who could've come with her. She had wanted Mercer... but even with his eyes it was clear he was Human. Plus the White Fang that were in the warehouse would easily recognize the Viper. Once they got past the entrance, Blake and Sun were handed simple gray Grimm style mask, like all White Fang members wore. This prompted Sun to ask a question.

"I don't get it. If you believe what you're doing is right, why hide who you are?" That was a surprisingly good question coming from the Monkey Faunus.

In her usual philosophical way, Blake answered. "The mask are a symbol. Humanity wanted to make monsters out of us so we chose to don the faces of monsters," she stated, looking down at the ground. It was a powerful way to show how you can push someone so far.

"Grimm mask... that's kinda dark," Sun stated. It was a valid point, in a world plagued by monsters, wearing something related to said monsters is a morbid and twisted sense of symbolism.

"So was the guy who started it..." Blake responded, remembering the madman she once called a leader.

"Always sunshine and rainbows with you..." he muttered out, which she promptly ignored.

As the two continued down the hall, Sun brought up something that made Blake tense up. "Wonder why Mercer never hid his face..."

_"That's because those who saw him usually died by his hand," _the amber eyed woman speculated.

Finally they entered the warehouse and found a large gathering of Faunus in the middle of the room. Some where White Fang members, but most were recruits dressed in casual clothing. There were guards all around the perimeter and a stage in the far back. On that stage was three things; a large gray tarp with the White Fang symbol plaster on it blocking something from being seen, a large video screen on the corner of the stage, and finally a buffed up Lieutenant wearing a full faced white and red mask.

The Lieutenant spoke loudly and clearly so he could be heard by everyone. "Thank you all for coming. For those of you who are joining us for the first time tonight, there are two things I must share with you. The first is a warning..." he motioned to the video screen and it came on to show something both Blake and Sun were familiar with. Mercer Knight. The crowd began to whisper in confusion before the Lieutenant spoke again. "If you see this man, do NOT engage him. This is the Viper, a mercenary who has killed more of our brothers and sisters than any force on Remnant. If you fight him, you will lose, and he will show you no mercy. He will kill you and not feel anything. The lives of three-thousand, four-hundred and eighty-two White Fang members have been lost to his hand. This... is a monster we cannot slay. For now, you are to avoid this man at all cost or show evidence you are with us. If you are caught by him... death is your fate."

The recruits instantly developed a binding fear of Mercer at that moment. Sun was mortified, sure he knew Mercer had done some damage to the White Fang, but killing over three-thousand members by himself... that was more than enough to cement him to be more careful of Mercer. Blake on the other hand knew this already. She was able to ask the merc in private what all he had done to the White Fang. And he told her, Mercer relayed that he remembered every one he had killed perfectly. All three-thousand, four-hundred and eighty-two... that much blood would drive anyone into insanity. But Blake knew one thing that they weren't telling the recruits, something she heard from the mouth of the Viper himself.

He was never the aggressor.

Every battle against the White Fang he had been in, Mercer was attacked first. It was all self-defense. Excessive, but still self-defense. For that, Blake's opinion of Mercer didn't change. She still cared for him, that was an absolute.

"As for the second thing, allow me to introduce a very special comrade of ours. I can assure you, he is the key to obtaining what we have fought for, for so long," and who of all people walks out to reveal that he is allied to the White Fang?

Roman Torchwick, in all his smug glory.

This in turn, caused outrage in the crowd, seeing a HUMAN of all things aiding the White Fang.

"Thank you, thank you. Please... hold your applause," the bowler hat wearing criminal stated in the face of the hostile crowd.

"What's a _human _doing here," a random Deer Faunus asked rather loudly.

"I'm glad you asked _Deery_. Now I'll be the first to admit, Humans...are the worst. Case in point," Torchwick motioned to himself before continuing. "So I understand why you all want to see us locked away, or better yet, killed. But before the claws come out, I'd like to mention the fact that you and I all have a common enemy... the ones in control. The people pulling the strings, the dirty rotten Humans that run our Kingdoms... government, military, even the schools... they're all to blame for your lot in life." At this point what was once screams of disdain had shifted to cheers of agreement in the crowd. Despite being Human, Torchwick had used his charisma to convince the Faunus before them that he was their ally. And they believed him. "And they're all pest that need to be dealt with. Fortunately... I'm the best exterminator around... no offense to any rodents in the room," with a snap of his fingers and the giant tarp was pulled away to reveal a Atlesian Paladin mech colored gray with the White Fang's symbol on the arms. Seeing the robot caused the crowd to cheer even more at the sight of the weapon brought by Torchwick.

"Ohh that's a big robot..." Sun sputtered out. He did not want to mess with that thing and its big guns.

"How did he get that," was what Blake asked. But Torchwick just continued his speech.

"As some of you may have heard, this right here is Atlas' newest line of defense against all the scary things in the world. And thanks to my employer, we've managed to to snag a few before they, uh... hit the shelves. Now, many of your _brothers_ have already moved down to our new operation in the southeast. If you'd rather stay in the city... that's fine. But if you're truly ready to fight for what you believe in...this is the arsenal I can provide you. Any questions," Roman concluded, followed by large amounts of cheering from the crowd.

"We should get out of here," Blake had a point, the crowd was getting riled, and that could cause problems if things got bad.

The sound of the Lieutenant's voice drew them back. "Would all new recruits please come forward."

As the Faunus started to file towards the stage, Blake and Sun knew they would get caught if they got closer. They had to leave.

"What are we gonna do now," Sun whispered.

"I'm thinking..." Blake began to look around for an escape route. Unfortunately for her and her companion, Torchwick caught sight of him. And he was not happy.

"He sees us..." the blonde Monkey Faunus stated.

Torchwick threw down his cigar and started walking in their direction. Sun, in the heat of the moment, smiled and waved at the criminal.

Blake spotted a electrical power-box and quickly came up with a escape plan. "He can't see in the dark," she mysteriously said. She pulled out Gambol Shroud in his handgun form and shot the power-box, causing the warehouse to become pitch black.

"Don't let them get away!"

"Sun, the window!"

"Stop them!"

All the yelling was followed by a series of mechanical sounds before Blake and Sun burst out of a second floor window out onto the street before running as fast as they could. Seconds later, the Paladin being controlled by Torchwick himself, burst through the side of the warehouse and took off after the them. The Faunus duo jumped on the roof of a nearby building and started to run along the tops of buildings through town as the giant robot covered in weapons chased them.

"So you wouldn't happen to have I don't know... SOME SORT OF BACKUP," Sun yelled as they continued to run from Torchwick. On their own there was no way they could take on that Paladin, but with the others it was possible.

"On it," Blake pulled out her scroll and put it on a group call to her teammates.

**Weiss**

_ "Everyone, if you can hear me we need b-HEEEEEELLLLP," _Blake started to say in the call before Sun screamed out and cut her off. Weiss just rolled her eyes and started running.

**Ruby and Rouge**

_"...bigger robot, and its really big," _Sun's voice just kept coming out through the call. Ruby and Rouge shared a knowing smirk.

"Oh I am not missing this," Oh I am **not **missing this," Ruby exclaimed.

"Let's kick some metal ass," Rouge yelled and they both took off.

**Yang, Neptune, and Mercer**

Yang and Neptune were on Bumblebee while Mercer stood to the side as they listened to the call. _"... that Torchwick guy is in it. But not like, it's in him...he's like controlling it or something..."_

"Where are you guys," Yang asked.

She got her answer when Blake and Sun ran past the end of the street with the Paladin right on their heels.

"HURRY!" And Sun was still yelling at the top of his lungs.

_**"Found them,"**_ Inner Mercer blandly stated, causing Mercer himself to sweatdrop.

"You two chase after them, I'll go ahead and cut them off somehow," the merc declared before turning around.

Neptune stopped him though. "Wait... how are you going to get ahead, you're on foot?"

Surprisingly enough, Mercer turned around and let out the faintest of smirks. "I'm not on her level, but Ruby isn't the only speed expert you know," the spear master quirked before his tattoos began to glow green and his black wind-like Aura sprung to life. He turned back around crouched slightly before taking off at high speeds. Turns out his Aura enhances his speed as well as acting like a shield.

"... so that's how he beat us here," the blue haired man muttered. Yang wasted no time in starting up her motorcycle and making a sharp turn, nearly causing Neptune to fall off before they started after the robot and their friends.

**Mercer**

Mercer kept a brisk pace as he darted through Vale and around street corners. He deduced that the path that Blake and Sun were leading Torchwick on would take them to the highway system. If he was quick enough, the dark warrior knew he could probably reach the highest part of the roads before the others past under it. That way, he could get a plunging sneak attack on Torchwick, and hopefully... end him. But something seemed off. Ever since they left Beacon, Mercer had this feeling that this was going to get much more difficult.

_"I have a bad feeling about this..."_ he thought to himself as he turned onto the last stretch of urban streets before the highway would come into view.

_**"You know Viper, saying shit like that usually comes back and bites you in the ass,"**_ the Madness said in a matter of fact manner.

Mercer paid his inner insanity no mind and just kept running. But halfway down the street, the side of a brick building exploded, sending dirt and concrete out effectively blinding Mercer for a split second. He recovered just in time to see a giant serrated ax blade horizontally coming to take his head off. Mercer leaned back enough for the ax to pass less than a inch from his nose. The sing carried enough force behind it to cause his hair to sway to the side. Before Mercer could even comprehend what was happening, the same ax came at him again, this time from a vertical angle. The merc jumped back with a flip and skid to a kneeling position, Empty Promise out and ready. Now he finally got a chance to look at his attacker. For once he was actually surprised somewhat at what he was now dealing with.

The thing that attacked Mercer was a seven foot... abomination that seemed to have been pulled out of a person's most terrifying dream. The creature was wearing a tattered, blood-soaked black apron with heavy boots, red bicep length gloves, and a horrid black cloth stained with splotches of blood. What was more nightmarish was how its skin was littered in huge stitches, nails protruding out of every few square inches of its body including some sticking out of its HEAD, and the fact there were three giant hooks stuck into its back. And of course it had the massive ax it swung at Mercer, but now he could see that there was a giant meat hammer on the other side of the ax and chains crossing over them. All in all... it was a disturbing thing to witness.

"Of all the things..."

_**"WHAT DID I FUCKING TELL YOU ABOUT SAYING YOU HAD A BAD FEELING, YOU DUMBASS?!"**_

**Elsewhere**

Rouge and Ruby where trying to get to the choke point that they and the others had come up with to get Torchwick to a location where they could fight them without increasing damage done, seeing as the criminal was currently destroying the highway trying to catch Blake and Sun. Soon he would have to deal with all of them. Suddenly another group call came over everyone's scrolls, this time it was from Mercer.

_"Yeah, turns out -SMASH- you guys will ha-SMASH- have to take on Torchwick -SMASH, SMASH- without me," _the merc's voice said over the call as the sound of a giant ax/hammer thing tried to kill him in the background popped up every few seconds.

"Mercer, are you OK," Ruby worriedly asked, obvious concern for her crush's well-being. Similar emotions were running through Blake and Yang while the others were less concerned than the three love-struck girls.

_"That's up -SMASH- for debate. Torchwick seems to have had backup that I came across -SMASH, SMASH, SMASH- I can handle this myself." _Obviously that was a lie, but the jade eyed hunter didn't want them fighting this thing, and for good reasons too.

_"You sure you'll be fine,"_ this time Weiss of all people's voice popped up on the call, heavy concern lacing her voice, asking about his safety.

_"Yes I'm fine... oh shit that's a bus it just threw..."_

**BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!**

The sound of, basing on Mercer's last sentence were, was a bus exploding. That got the merc's friends worried. They wanted to help, but Torchwick was their problem. They couldn't just leave him to cause rampant destruction.

"Ruby," Rouge's voice got the attention of the young leader. She looked over to the Tiger Faunus and he flashed her one of his signature grins. "I'll go help out quiet, dark, and broody, you and the others can handle Torchwick just fine."

Seeing no flaw in what Rouge was suggesting, Ruby nodded and the two split off.

One going after Torchwick.

The other going to aid Mercer.

Rouge pulled out his scroll and called Mercer. "Mercer, Ruby and the others are going to handle Torchwick, I'm coming to help your ass out," he stated in a rare serious tone. Right now the time for fun and jokes was over. If there was something throwing BUSES at Mercer, the colossal former mercenary would have to bring his A-game.

_"SMASH- that's fair. You better be ready, this isn't a Torchwick goon... its a fucking Executioner."_

Rouge let out a groan. "Just perfect..."

**With Mercer**

As with what Mercer told Rouge, this... thing was simply known as a Executioner. A roaming, bloodthirsty mutant that seems to kill for no apparent reason. No one knows were it came from or what created it, all that mattered was that it was a mass-murdering monster. It just kills whatever it wants; Grimm, animals, Humans and Faunus of all ages... it has no limitations. Best part is... it just won't die. There are reports of the Executioner taking full clips from heavy weapons and it still kept coming. Some believe the thing is some kind of reanimated corpse considering it just wouldn't die. The more logical theory was the creature had a high speed healing factor like Mercer. Which in all honesty doesn't help either...

Mercer kept dodging the ax strikes of the Executioner swiftly. He did not feel like testing his Aura shield against that big ass weapon. The merc was glad, he had reach and flexibility against the Executioner and its brute strength and slow movements. The merc used Empty Promise to litter the monster's body with shallow cuts and stabs by holding the spear further down the shaft, extending his striking distance. The Executioner went for another horizontal slash and Mercer stabbed his weapon into the ground and used it to vault into the air over the mutant. While in the air, Mercer pulled out the Casull and fired a few rounds into the abomination, leaving large bullet holes in its shoulders. That's when Mercer noticed something about the creature that distracted him.

It had black blood.

Unfortunately the Executioner used the opportunity to catch Mercer by swinging back with its left arm. The merc snapped back to reality just in time to cross his arms in a x fashion and take the monster's backhand swing. The enhanced strength that it had sent Mercer rocketing back through a mailbox fifteen feet away. Mercer stood back up and glared at the Executioner before he spat up his own black blood onto the sidewalk. He had let himself get distracted and he paid for it. The mutant wasted no time in lumbering after Mercer. He had to figure out a way to kill this thing, without destroying anymore of the city.

Thankfully for Mercer, his backup had arrived.

Rouge jumped down from a building and rushed the Executioner. He reared his fist back and coated it in his dual red and blue Aura before he slammed the fist into the side of the mutant's face. Somehow he missed the nails and made direct contact. The reaction of the punch sent the larger monster skidding back away from the two mercenaries.

The Tiger Faunus walked over to his partner as Mercer used Empty Promise to help him to his feat before cracking his neck loudly. "That is one ugly motherfucker," Rouge said not taking his eyes of the Executioner.

"You're telling me... damn thing is a damage sponge," Mercer responded, taking a moment to reload his Casull. With that done, he walked forward and stood next to Rouge, ready to fight again.

"Maybe you just suck," the Tiger Faunus retorted with a small grin.

"Now is not the time for jokes, imbecile."

"Fine, fine. I get it, we just need to do some major damage to stop it. That I can do," with the press of a button, Rouge's Eternal Victory shifted to its rocket launcher form and he took aim at the abomination. "This should make him _real _pretty..."

But before he could fire, Mercer lowered the launcher. "That's too destructive, you'll damage the city if you do that," he snapped.

Rouge looked around the area and took in the damage already done. "I don't think that thing gives a shit about urban reconstruction and demolition."

_**"Wow... the cat used big words. Progress,"**_ Inner Mercer mused with a smug tone. Mercer himself just settled with glaring at his partner.

Rouge closed his eyes and sighed before switching back to his battle-ax. He opened one orange feline eye and looked down at Mercer. "You got any ideas?"

Mercer stayed silent and looked around the area trying to find out what to do next. Meanwhile the Executioner for some reason hadn't moved, as if it was waiting for them to make the next move. When Mercer turned around to look behind him, he found what he was looking for.

A construction site.

"Behind us is a construction site... I think we can be a bit more liberal with the damage there than here," Mercer declared, earning a fanged grin from Rouge.

"Oldest trick in the book then," he asked.

Mercer nodded.

They both turned back to the Executioner, stared at it for a minute... then bolted towards the construction site.

The site was mostly metal support beams and the outer framework of whatever was being built there. A few concrete walls were put up and they provided extra shadows. Perfect. The Executioner stomped into the site, having lost Mercer and Rouge due to their superior speed. The monster continued to look around for its target and the extra. To bad this thing didn't know something crucial about its opponents...

Vipers and Tigers are ambush predators.

Without warning, Mercer and Rouge dashed out of the shadows, each striking at the mutant before disappearing back into the dark. The monster looked around trying to find them, but it couldn't see and its targets were perfectly silent. The two mercs performed the same tactic again, this time Rouge rushing it from the front. The Executioner focused solely on Rouge and made the mistake of forgetting about Mercer. The slender merc struck from above and plunged Empty Promise deep into the monster's left shoulder. While Mercer had it distracted, Rouge delivered a good cut to the mutant's stomach. With damage done, the two retreated back to the shadows. The Executioner let out a guttural yell in anger at it's hidden foes.

Meanwhile Mercer and Rouge were hiding behind a concrete wall about seventeen feet away from the abomination. Their plan was working. Instead of trying to fight it head on, they were using stealth and hit-and-run tactics to do damage.

"This is going pretty well," Rouge whispered. He looked around the corner to see that the mutant still couldn't find them.

"Yeah... now we just need to figure out how to take it down for the count," Mercer muttered, absentmindedly noticing that it had gotten brighter somewhat.

_Sniff. Sniff._

Rouge started to smell the air before he turned to his friend. "Do you smell smoke?"

Mercer's eyes widened when he felt a intense heat from the other side of the concrete wall. "MOVE," he yelled, just in time for them to avoid the diagonal slice that cut the wall in two.

The wall was definitely cut in half by a ax-hammer weapon, the two mercs could see it.

One thing stood out though...

"THERE'S TWO OF THEM," Rouge yelled in frustration while Mercer grit his teeth.

The Tiger Faunus was correct, there was now a SECOND Executioner standing next to the one in black. This one however wore a white apron, darker red arm-gloves that had leather straps on them, brown leather boots, a red leather cloth on its head held down by more straps, and large needles jutting out of its back. And it also was carrying weapon identical to its brethren... only this one was on fire.

_**"Well this just went from bad to the worst possible fucking situation..."**_ after being quiet the whole fight, Inner Mercer put in his two Lien. And Mercer had to agree with it on this.

While they were momentarily shocked by the fact that there has been a second Executioner roaming around world, the two mercs-turned-Hunters got into battle positions. They weren't going to be surprised again.

The two mutants looked at each other for a second before turning back to the mercs. Then... their weapons changed forms.

The Black now had a LSAT light machine gun with a forward grip and dual drum magazines.

And the Red... had a damn flamethrower.

Well... surprise!

Mercer and Rouge stared blankly in silence at the monsters and their weapons. Mercer then turned to Rouge. "... you take the Red one," he deadpanned.

The Tiger Faunus' eye twitched. "Sure... give me the one that can turn me into a pile of ash. Yeah... thanks asshole."

"Would you rather take the one that can turn you into Swiss cheese?"

"..."

"That's what I thought..."

With their little argument done, the two darted off in opposite directions. Mercer right, and Rouge left. The Executioners looked at each other before the Black one motioned that it would go after Mercer while the Red one was to turn Rouge into a Tiger flambe. The two separated and the battles restarted.

**Rouge vs the Red Executioner**

_"SHIT, SHIT, SHIT, SHIT, SHIT,"_ Rouge repeated in his head as he dodged the torrents of flames being shot at him by the Red mutant. While Rouge did have a resistance to fire, he wasn't fireproof. So he settled with running, very fast. The monster was keeping Rouge on the move most likely to exhaust him so he could finish off the Faunus with ease. As long as the abomination had that flamethrower, Rouge was at a disadvantage. While he ran, the merc tried to come up with a strategy as the Executioner continued to light the construction site up with fire.

Suddenly a light-bulb went off over Rouge's head. Or was it a fireball?

No matter. Rouge put his weapon on his back and picked up speed. When he had gotten out of range of the flamethrower, he turned around on his heels and slid to a stop. Right as he came to a complete stop, Rouge clapped his hands together. **"Time Alter!"**

With his semblance activated, the world around him faded to gray and everything slowed to the speed of a snail. The flames were still coming out of the weapon, but now the Tiger Faunus could avoid them. Knowing that it wouldn't be long before the use of **Time Alter** would start to slow down his heart, Rouge dashed at the Executioner. When he was about a foot away, Rouge started to feel pain. Knowing he was at his limit, Rouge pulled out Eternal Victory and canceled **Time Alter**. When the world returned to normal, the Tiger Faunus sliced the tube to the fuel on the flamethrower, rendering it useless. But the Executioner was quick to react and changed back to its ax-hammer and swung at Rouge. The merc was able to lock his own ax with the monster's and the two began a power struggle. Rouge was strong, strong enough to shatter the armor of a Grimm with his fist, but the Executioner was stronger. The creature began to push Rouge back, gaining the upper hand. This in turn... pissed Rouge off. His hair became wilder and his features more feral. Black flame Aura started to sprout off the merc as he pushed back. With a loud animalistic roar, Rouge pushed the Executioner's weapon to the side before bring his own weapon above his head. He brought Eternal Victory down and cut both of the mutant's hands clean off before he spun around and hit the side of the creature's head with the slat side of his battle-ax. This in turn, knocked the Red Executioner out cold. Rouge's erratic breath slowed down and he hit the ground on his need. He needed a nap after all this.

**Mercer vs the Black Executioner**

Why he _always _ended up having heavy weaponry shot at him, Mercer would never know.

What he did know was to NOT stop moving.

The jade eyed warrior had taking the tactic of running and parkouring to avoid the hail of bullets. He slide, ran, and jumped throughout the levels of the site to avoid the gunfire until he saw an opening.

Which might be awhile since the Black Executioner's LSAT had a dual drum magazine. If only Mercer was bulletproof this wouldn't be so damn hard.

This fight was almost exactly like his fight with Heavy, expect this was a mutant and not his friend who went crazy. Mercer didn't want to extend this fight any longer. He was worried about team RWBY dealing with Torchwick and he wanted to assist them. So, the normally calm and collective Viper did something completely out of character for him.

Fuck careful planning and just wing it.

Despite thinking it was a idiotic idea, Mercer jumped high in the air and started to descend right on top of the mutant. Luckily for him the monster wasn't a good shot and the merc landed right on top before stabbing his spear straight into the abomination's chest. But that didn't stop the Executioner. It reached up and grabbed Mercer by the neck and pulled him down to eye level before trying to choke the life out of Mercer. Starting to feel the bones in his neck crack, Mercer made a quick move to escape. The merc pulled out the Casull and stuck it under the monster's chin before unloading a full clip into it. The mutant howled in pain and moved to throw Mercer, but not before the merc got a grip on the cloth cover its face. When Mercer was thrown, the cloth came with him.

Mercer quickly gained his balance and landed perfectly a few meters from the Executioner. The monster still had Empty Promise stuck in its body so he had to get that back. When Mercer back up, his eyes widened as far as they could, his pupils shrank tremendously, and his whole body went ridged.

What was underneath that cloth was a hairless, deformed thing with eyes that were solid green, black blood was coming out of its mouth, and on its forehead... was a brand.

Not just any brand.

A brand Mercer knew.

A skull with a dagger plunged through it.

Mercer knew this brand well... because it was once on his own skin.

This was the symbol of the experiment that made him the Viper.

It all made sense... the black blood, the green eyes, and the healing factor.

The Executioners were test subjects on Corruption Dust infusion like he was.

Only, he assumed, they were failures. While he was the success...

All the memories came flooding back to Mercer... all the pain and torture...

Something inside Mercer snapped.

His Aura skyrocketed as his tattoos became blindingly bright and his eyes radiated in jade colored energy. The veins around his eyes darkened to pitch black and bulged out to be seen easily. In lightning fast speed, Mercer pulled out Empty Promise before severing both the Executioner's legs and removing its left arm. The monster fell to the ground and screamed in pain when Mercer pinned its remaining arm to the ground with his spear.

Then... Mercer began to smash his foot into the the face of the mutant.

Stomp.

Stomp.

Stomp!

STOMP!

STOMP STOMP STOMP STOMP STOMP STOMP STOMP STOMP STOMP STOP!

Mercer kept going and going until the mutant's entire head was replaced with a bloodstain on the ground. Up to his knee Mercer's leg was soaked in blood. His breathing was heavy and his anger was still at an all time high.

This wasn't enough for Mercer.

There was still one more...

Making his way over to where Rouge was, he found the Tiger Faunus leaning against a broken slab of a wall and the hand-less Red Executioner lying on its back.

Seeing the state his friend was in, Rouge got up. "Mercer..." he tried to get close, but the Viper pushed him aside harshly and kept his course.

Mercer sat down on top of the fallen mutant and grabbed its head with his hands. The monster tried to escape, but without its hands it was helpless. It began to howl in pain as Mercer drove his thumbs into the eyes of the Executioner and began to apply pressure.

"Mercer STOP," Rouge yelled, there was a defined line between a mercy killing and torture, and Mercer had destroyed it.

The enraged man paid his friend no attention as he continued to apply force to the abomination's head. With a loud, hate-filled yell, Mercer put all his strength into his grip and promptly smashed the Red Executioner's head in like a grape.

Rouge nearly puked at what he had just witnessed. This was **not ** the Mercer he knew. This... wasn't human.

Eventually Mercer's Aura died down, his tattoos returned to normal, and he relaxed his breathing. He turned around to look at Rouge as if all that hadn't happened.

"Mercer, why did you do that," he asked carefully.

Mercer stared at him before answering. "Those... things, were failed test subjects from the experiment that created ME," the merc said with slight anger.

Rouge still wasn't convinced. "Did you have to kill them? They might have had a chance to be fixed."

"There is no _fixing _it Rouge. Having Corruption Dust inside you... means you are already dead," he barked out with hatred.

"Yourself included," he asked through narrowed eyes.

Mercer's eyes glowed lightly for a moment before he closed them and let out a deep sigh. When he opened them again, the jade pools had softened. "I'm... sorry... I let my anger get the better of me... I lost control," the merc admitted. Deep down... the was some fear in Mercer of what he might become if he lost control like that again.

The Tiger Faunus let out a smile. "C'mon you lady-killer, lets call the others and then head back home," Rouge draped a arm over Mercer and the two head out of the construction sit.

On the way back, they learned two things;

One, that team RWBY had beat Torchwick."

And two... Mercer's friend Tuckson was murdered at the beginning of the semester.

**6:15 in the fucking morning and I'm DONE. So bloody tired...**

** Anyway I hope this chapter was good to you all, its been a month long process to do it. Man this shit got violent there at the end. You all just witnessed a little bit of Mercer's rage there... not pretty.**

** Now onto that thing I wanted to talk about. I think I'm going to take a short break from Viper's Glare and try writing a second fic again (I've got plenty of ideas in this head of mine). In no way am I stopping this fic, I just want to branch out some and let the creative juices flow. Hope you all can understand my reasoning. Anyway this other fic will most likely be a Anime based one, so just look out for it. You might like it... or not, you guys are entitled to your opinions.**

** Please be sure to review, comment, and PM because I like to hear from you all.**

** Catch ya later.**


	26. Announcement

**RWBY: Viper's Glare**

**Announcement **

** By now most writers have already said things on the line of what I'm about to discuss, but this is something I also need to say. You'll have to bear with me because this is really hard on me.**

** For those you who are not aware the creator of RWBY, Monty Oum, passed away two days ago. Right now it is a hard time for all of us who are Roosterteeth fans and even more so to Monty's family and friends. A great and talented man has passed and he will be dearly missed by thousands, many who have never met the man in person.**

** This is not an easy time for me at all. To me, Monty was more than the creator of my favorite show. He was my idol, a man who I truly respected and held in the highest regard. He was the inspiration for me to even start writing Viper's Glare. And even with him gone and the fate of the show up in the air, I will not stop writing this fic. From this point on, every chapter, every word, every single stroke of the keys on my laptop, will be dedicated to Monty Oum. Because we, the fans, we will be his legacy. As long has we keep the memory of him inside our hearts, Monty will always be with us.**

** To his family, words will never express my condolences to your loss. He was, and always will be, a wonderful person who will live in the hearts of many.**

** To his coworkers and friends at Roosterteeth, know that we, the fans, will always be here to support you and help in this time of loss.**

** Life is like a river... it bends, separates, and flows on. Death is not the end, only the next step. I... am not a religious man, nor will I try to place thoughts on the afterlife. But I will offer a prayer, to Monty's family, friends, and all of us who will forever be fans of his work. While it was better said by Kolyat Krios in Mass Effect 3, I hope that these words offer some peace.**

_Kalahira, this one's heart is pure,but beset by wickedness and contention._

_Guide him to where all hunters return, where all storms become still, where all stars show the path._

_Guide this one to where the traveler never tires, the lover never leaves, the hungry never starve._

_Guide this one Kalahira, and he will be a companion to you as he was to me._

** May you find peace Monty Oum. Remnant awaits you. And, when it is time for us to go... we will meet you across the sea.**


	27. Chapter 23

**RWBY: Viper's Glare**

** Good day everyone, I'm back! Its been some time since I've actually written anything on the lines of an actual chapter. Originally I was trying to write a non-RWBY fic as a side project... but after I learned about Monty Oum's passing that plan faded away. I wanted to get back into Viper's Glare and focus on it as much as I can, as a way to honor Monty.**

** In truth... I was having a really hard time getting back into writing. I was so busy with my life as well as developing a case of depression that made me feel like I couldn't make this fic as good as a hoped it to be. But, then I got a review from Captain Capri... and what he said made that self hate go away. Now I feel great and can get back into doing this. **

** So to Captain Capri, thank you, if you hadn't said what you did... Viper's Glare might not have continued. **

** Well I won't say any more, I'll just let you all enjoy this next installment.**

** Disclaimer: RWBY is owned by Roosterteeth and the late Monty Oum, and this is dedicated to him.**

**Chapter 23: Wind and Rage- Mercer vs Rouge**

The stench of death had finally become stagnant in the construction zone, flies had began to litter around the two mutilated corpses of the two Executioners as the blood had finally settled. Boots slapping against the hard ground revealed that there was something still living in the site. Stepping out of the shadows into the moonlight, the gas mask wearing associate of Cinder glared over the carnage caused by Mercer in his rage induced state. Mumbling a varied string of curses, the dark clothed man moved over to the black Executioner and began to drag the mammoth carcass over to its red companion, leaving a trail of blood in its wake. Once he had done that, he returned and collected the severed appendages before adding the to the pile he had built. The man then walked away momentarily before returning with a can of gasoline. He then began to pour the substance on the corpses until the can was almost entirely empty. With that done, the mysterious man stepped back a few feet and pulled out a book of matches before he struck one alight. He gazed at the small flame for a brief second, letting the glow reflect off the glass eye protectors. The man then flicked the lit match at the corpse pile and turned to leave right as it went up in flames. Never turning back, he allowed the bodies of the two Executioners to turn to ash.

"Stupid monsters."

**Beacon**

Rouge watched as two random students fought each other in the circular arena below him in mild interest. Normally he would be all for the violence and the heat of the battle, it was something the Tiger Faunus enjoyed greatly. But he was distracted, by the current state of his friend and partner. After dealing with the Executioners, Mercer stormed into the Headmaster's office as soon as they returned to the Academy. A few days had passed since then, and the sour mood Mercer adopted after meeting with Ozpin had not faded. The jade eyed merc was angry, pissed was probably a better word. Whatever happened between the two had caused Mercer to envelop himself in an air of discomfort and fury. Ruby had came up to him and asked what was wrong with her crush. Poor girl, she and the others couldn't begin to fathom the weight of a question like that. So Rouge did what he thought was best, he lied to her and said he was unsure of why Mercer was like this. JNPR and RWBY sat with him among the other students in the arena, with Mercer standing on the other side of the seats looking down at the fight.

With his arms crossed and a dark gleam in his eye, Mercer would occasionally glance up from the battle and at his friends. He disliked isolating himself from the others, but it was a necessary course of action he had to exercise. He was in a volatile state right now, and he was fully aware of it. Learning of Tuckson's death had shaken him, but it was his confrontation with Ozpin that set him off. Even remembering that conversation made his black blood boil.

**Flashback**

Ozpin watched with great intent the footage of both team RWBY's battle with Roman Torchwick in the stolen Paladin on one monitor and Mercer &amp; Rouge's against the twin Executioners on another. Next to him was Goodwitch, but she was more focused on the screen that had her obvious love interest on it. Both teachers were highly impressed by the teamwork displayed by the two mercenaries. Most of the time the two would train away from Beacon where others were not around. When asked about why they took that course of action, they received the answer "we tend to be overly destructive, so we train away from the school so no one is hurt." It was hard to argue with that logic, considering Rouge was a walking juggernaut and Dust forbid if Mercer ever went Aura Drive again. Ozpin and Goodwitch were amazed at how well the two worked together considering how different they were, though... the end of the fight disturbed them greatly.

Watching as Mercer brutally slaughtered the mutants caused discomfort in the hearts of the two Huntsmen. Ozpin was enthralled and slightly disturbed by the carnage Mercer could inflicted when his normal, calm persona was replaced with anger. Glynda on the other hand was simply depressed that Mercer had so much anger in him, she worried that he would have more of it and could cause harm to himself and others.

Both were broken out their thoughts when the elevator to Ozpin's office and Mercer stormed in. Judging by how his face was contorted in anger, it was easy to tell this would not end well.

"Ah, Mercer... is there something we can help you with," Ozpin asked, hoping that this would be diffused with ease. Goodwitch just stood to the side, swearing to herself to not interfere unless it was absolutely necessary.

"Why wasn't I informed," the snaked eyed warrior asked as if they already knew what he was talking about.

"I'm afraid we don't know what you're referring to."

Mercer responded to that by slamming both his fist on the Headmaster's desk, causing the glass to start breaking under the force of his hands. To add on to that action, Mercer began to leak out a small portion of his Aura, which was more than enough to add on to the already tense atmosphere. "Cut the crap Ozpin... why did no one tell me about Tuckson," he stood back up before continuing. "And don't lie to me, you know everything that happens in Vale."

At that point Ozpin knew he was backed into a corner, so he would just come out and hope it would not bite him back. "... I did not see any to inform you about the death of a shopkeeper."

That was not the answer Mercer wanted. "JUST a shopkeeper?! You have a file on my life, you KNEW that Tuckson was a former member of the White Fang that I helped escape. So because of that you saw fit to conceal from me this information," Mercer spat out in a heavily venomous tone. "Is that what the Huntsmen are about, allowing innocents to die?"

The Viper's final question caused Ozpin to spring from his chair and stand to meet Mercer's jade eyes. "The Huntsmen were created to protect the Kingdoms from all threats. We cannot handle every small amount of trouble that appears when there are larger problems to deal with. Sometimes... we must allow a lesser evil to thrive so that we can destroy a greater evil when it arises."

Mercer scoffed at the statement made by the Headmaster. "For such a smart man you really are an idiot..." the dark spear-master turned and proceeded towards the elevator, he was done with Ozpin. Before he left, Mercer said one last thing to Ozpin and Glynda, who had stayed silent the whole time. "Evil is evil. Lesser, greater, middling... makes no difference. The degree is arbitrary, the definition blurred. If I'm to choose between one evil and another... I'd rather not choose at all." With his peace said, Mercer left the office to sleep, leaving the two teachers to ponder the merc's stance on evil.

**End Flashback**

That night Mercer lost his trust in the Headmaster, his mind wondering if being a Huntsmen was as noble a cause as people claim it to be. Granted his time as a mercenary wasn't the thing of fairy tales either, with times that death was the only outcome for the contract he was on. But with this, willingly allowing the death of others was not something the merc agreed on. For now, Mercer decided to push these thoughts aside and focus more on the matches at hand, especially so since Jaune just got called.

On the other side of the arena, Ruby could help but be down ridden at the distance Mercer had place between them all. The scarlet cloaked girl didn't believe Rouge when he said he wasn't sure what was wrong with Mercer, but she was sure it was just to not worry her more. Between Blake running herself into the ground trying to find out more about the White Fang and Mercer looking like he's about to tear a Nevermore in half with his bare hands, the young leader of RWBY was very stressed. Meanwhile, everyone else was getting ready to watch Jaune in his match. The blonde knight had been training with Pyrrha quite a lot and was making strides in his form, sometimes he would even go to Mercer and ask for some help. When Jaune was asked about what exactly he had Mercer help him in, it was stamina. While Pyrrha would help with his weapon skills, Mercer would play a game of "tag" with him, which translates to Mercer would chase Jaune around with Empty Promise to build up his endurance.

… there were never any serious injuries... maybe a twisted ankle at most.

And bruises, definitely bruises.

Jaune's opponent was rather... intimidating to someone like him. The man was nearly seven feet tall and built like Rouge, solid muscle. He wore red dress pants, black sneakers with neon green trim, a green dress shirt with a red vest and ascot, and a black trench coat with neon green trim and a communicator attached to the left arm. His hair was short and spiky, colored brown with neon green tipped highlights. Overall... it looks like Jaune was screwed.

Up in the stands, Pyrrha was rather worried about her team leader. Sure he was getting better, but his opponent looked like he could do some damage.

"Oh dear... I fear Martin might go overboard here," a smooth, heavily accented voice spoke out next two the two teams and the Tiger Faunus. When they turned to figure out who was speaking, the group was met with the sight of a handsome man with brown eyes and neatly combed hair of the same color. His attire consisted of a aristocratic brown suit, white shirt, a red tie, bronze colored knee length armored boots, gauntlets of the same material as his boots, a brown leather longcoat with a bronze metal pauldron on his left shoulder, brown bowler hat with a red band, and a pair of pilot goggles hanging around his neck. The man's looks could be compared to that of Mercer's, in the sense they both are pleasing to gawk at, but unlike Mercer his looks were princely while the merc's were devilishly handsome.

"Excuse me, you know the man our friend is facing," Ruby inquired.

The man turned to her and gave a charming smile. "I do indeed, he's my brother Martin, we along with our sister are a team, we transferred here to Beacon recently," he responded before motioning to his other side. Next to him was a beautiful young woman with her legs crossed over one another and her head resting in her hands as she watched the soon to be starting match. Her eyes were a bright neon blue and her hair was a stark contrast to her brothers', her's being obsidian black with blue streaks kept in a twintail fashion instead of brown like theirs. Her choice of clothing was unique and... provocative, to say the least. She had on black goggles with blue shades on top of her head, a ripped-up fishnet shirt, black leather corset with blue buttons that leaves little to the imagination, her right arm has a fingerless black leather glove that goes up to her elbow, the left arm has a neon blue ribbon wrapped around her palm and wrist, a tight black leather miniskirt, fishnet stockings, and high heel, knee length black leather boots. Around her neck was a pair of big blue headphones and a studded collar. At the mention of her, she turned to the group and smiled while giving a small wave. "Forgive me... I forgot my manners. I'm Elijah Radec, this is my sister Roxanne, and the man facing your blonde friend..." he motioned to the hulk in the arena. "... is our brother Martin. We're the Radec triplets."

"Aren't there supposed to be four members to a team," Yang questioned, which was a good one since it was policy for Huntsmen-in-training to be in teams of four. The only exception to the rule seeming to be Mercer and Rouge... but that might be because they are on a different level compared to everyone else.

"How are you triplets, you look nothing alike," Ruby asked.

_"Radec... where have I heard that name before..."_ Weiss thought. The heiress knew that name, she just couldn't figure out where.

"Sadly the leader of our team is currently indisposed, he should show up here in a few weeks," Elijah answered the first question.

"We are fraternal triplets luv, meaning the same age but look different," Roxanne voiced, showing that she too had an accent, but no where thick as her brother's.

With all that out of the way, the now larger group turned their attentions back to the fight between the third Radec sibling and the Arc knight.

"Alright you two, keep it clean, the fight will end when one of your Auras is in the red or you are unable to fight. Begin," Goodwitch declared before moving off to the side. Her lime green eyes quickly glancing at the solitary Mercer, causing her mood to drop some. The merc's hostile encounter with the Headmaster still stung some, she felt like there might have been something that could've been done. But that was too late now, all she could do at the moment was make sure these fights didn't get out of hand.

With the blonde teacher's signal, Jaune brandished Crocea Mors and taking a stance he developed while training with Pyrrha, his shield out in front of him and his sword arm pulled back into a pose ready to stab forward. Meanwhile Martin decided to take no stance, instead he just crossed his arms and began to wait. A bead of sweat rolled down Jaune's face at the tense atmosphere and his opponent's lack of seriousness. So the blonde took a gamble and charged forward, raising his blade for an overhead slash. What he, and everyone watching minus Martin's brother and sister, wasn't expecting was for the hulking Radec to bring out a hand and **grab** Jaune's sword and bring it to a halt. A very small amount of blood could be seen trickling down Crocea Mors' blade, most of Martin's Aura having stopped the attack but allowing a small cut to form in his palm. The audience was shocked at the the turn of events but none more so than Jaune himself, who was now shaking lightly.

"... please don't break me," the Arc begged, hoping he would not be seriously hurt.

Martin responded with a shrug and a single word in his deep accented voice. "OK."

"Really?!"

The mismatched brother let out a wiry smile. "...no," and then proceeded to uppercut Jaune with his free hand, causing the blonde to fly back a few feet, out cold.

Other than Mercer who simply raised an eyebrow and Blake who was sleeping, all of Jaune's companions looked like their eyes were about to pop out of their heads. Martin had used his great strength to simply knock Jaune out instead of carrying the fight out much longer.

Elijah sighed at his brother's actions. "And I was right about Martin going overboard," he mumbled while Roxanne snickered.

Goodwitch blinked a few time to make sure she wasn't seeing things and went to check on the blonde Arc. Seeing as he was out cold she stood back up and cleared her throat. "Winner Martin Radec," she declared. The winner of said match went over to his downed opponent and poked him a few times to wake him up. When Jaune start to regain consciousness, the Radec helped him to his feet and lead him out of the arena. Despite his rather brutal winning strategy, the brown eyed giant was a fair sport and would help the Arc. After Jaune and Martin had rejoined the group in the stands and in tandem introduced themselves to those they were not familiar with, they all settled in to watch whatever the next fight would be. Glynda began to look over the roster for the class, trying to figure out who should test their skills next. "Mr. Shere-Khan, you're up next. Choose your opponent and both of you report to the arena," she called. The sorceress knew that Rouge outclassed nearly everyone in the stands right now, but even the destructive Tiger Faunus needed to unwind after recent events.

Rouge wasted no time in standing to his full height and adopting the face of a hardened warrior. Before those around him could wonder who he would choose as an opponent, the orange haired titan extended his arm out and pointed at the only person on the opposite side of the stands.

Mercer.

RWBY and JNPR looked at Rouge like was insane while the Radecs adopted confused expressions. Mercer glared at his partner before turning around and making his way to the armory to claim his spear. Rouge himself, who already had his weapon on him, just jumped down into the arena and strolled over to Goodwitch.

Before the blonde could utter a single word, Rouge spoke up. "Professor, for this fight, I want you to void all the rules and let us handle this. I don't know what happened to Mercer when he went to see Ozpin, but I'm bringing him out of his pissy mood now," when he saw the apprehensive look on her face, he cracked a small grin. "Don't worry, I'll bring your lover boy back to his normal broody self, we're not ones to go down easy."

Goodwitch turned red briefly before composing herself and nodding. While she was worried about what exactly was about to transpire, the teacher knew that Rouge knew Mercer better than anyone and was the best case to get him to return to the man she was in love with.

Hopefully Glynda could keep her composure, because she and everyone else were about to witness Remnant's two greatest mercenaries duel at their full potential.

All those in the stands watched in absolute silence as Rouge waited for Mercer to appear. Only when, thanks to the lack of noise, the sound of Mercer's shoes reverberating off of the ground did the Tiger Faunus begin to harden his resolve. He knew with absolute certainty that he could make the jade eyed man fight, but the question was...

Could he survive the Viper's onslaught?

When Mercer finally stepped out into the arena, he gazed at his Faunus friend with a mixture of annoyance and anger. "Rouge... clearly you couldn't tell, I'm not really in the mood to indulge you in a spar," he stated in a no-nonsense tone. When Rouge chose not to answer him, the merc sighed and turned his back to the larger man and the crowd. "I for-"

"Nex Sacramentum."

The two words uttered by Rouge caused Mercer to freeze, Goodwitch to drop her scroll, and Weiss to gasp out loud.

"What is that buffoon thinking," the white haired girl screeched, causing the others to look at her strangely.

"I don't get it, what's this Nex thingy," Nora asked. She along with the others were unsure of what exactly Rouge just did.

A bead of sweat rolled down the heiress' brow as she looked over at them. "Its an old term in a dead language that translates to **Death Oath**," already the others didn't like what Weiss was beginning to explain. "Nex Sacramentum is a ancient code for a duel to the death. Once invoked, the combatants will battle until one is dead or surrenders. In the event of a surrender, the victor then holds the life of the loser in their hands and can decide to kill them whenever they please." She returned her gazed to the arena below, dread pooling inside her as well as the other. "It is a barbaric and sadistic code... why Rouge is using it... I don't know."

Ruby began to shake as she asked a final question. "I-Is there a way to null the code?"

Weiss shook her head. "... No."

Meanwhile Mercer slowly turned his head to look at the Tiger Faunus, a cold gleam in his eyes and a deep scowl on his face. "... this is the only choice I'm giving you Rouge... **take that back**," his voice was ice cold and drowned in a sea of rage.

_**"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! The damn Tiger grew some BALLS! Why don't you show him that this was a grave mistake Viper,"**_ the insane, joyous howl of Inner Mercer rang inside the skull of the mercenary. Mercer simply shut out the voice and focused on what was about to come.

Rouge's only response was to place a hand on Eternal Victory and never let his eyes leave Mercer's frame. He was ready.

The serpentine eyes of the spear-master narrowed more, Mercer received the answer. "Very well..."

And just like that... Mercer vanished from sight.

Before anyone watching could comprehend what just happened, Rouge's innate animal instincts for survival kicked in and he brought down his battle-ax to block the piercing blow of Empty Promise's blade before it struck his heart. Now in a defensive posture, Rouge looked down to find Mercer crouched below him, one hand holding the green spear and the other one the ground helping him keep balanced. The larger of the two mercs gazed into the eyes of his opponent and found a familiar and terrifying thing looking back up into them.

The eyes of something that cannot be considered human or Faunus, the gaze of the creature that slaughtered the entirety of the Shere-Khan family in the span of three bloody days.

Rouge's opponent was not the Mercer Knight that the people of Beacon had come to know.

No... it was the Viper that Rouge was fighting, he knew those eyes better than most.

The Tiger Faunus pushed down to try and pin Mercer down, but the Viper was too agile and contorted his stance to Rouge's side. Empty Promise was already coming down in a vertical slash by the time Rouge had noticed Mercer had moved. He was able to sidestep away and avoid being cleaved in half before readjusting the grip on his ax and swinging at Mercer, who was just pulling his spear from the floor. Unfortunately for Rouge, Mercer jumped up and landed on the flat side of Eternal Victory unharmed. Mercer then proceeded to extend his leg and kick the larger merc right in the face. That in turn caused Rouge to fumble back and Mercer to gracefully land a few feet away from him. Due to Mercer's last course of action, his opponent as well as those watching were able to make out what seemed to be a black smoke-like substance coming off of him briefly. What that was made Rouge smirk in recognition of what it was.

_"Right out of the gate and you're going full force eh Mercer? Fine with me, I know exactly how to handle this method of yours,"_ the orange eyed titan thought, having faced it before, Rouge would be able to hold his ground.

Up in the stands, a lightbulb went off in Ren's head. "Ah... so that's how he does it," the mumbled loud enough to draw attention to him.

"Do you know something Ren," Pyrrha inquired, knowing that Ren and Mercer had spent a few occasions discussing various things and sometimes sparring in CQC.

The pink eyed young man looked over at the others before sharing his conclusion. "I've figured out how Mercer is able to move so fast," that statement was enough to draw everyone away from the fight. "He's not actually as fast as Ruby _naturally_, Mercer is faster than most people normally but he is enhancing himself to get that extra kick."

"How?" the silver eyed leader asked, thinking there might be a way to increase her own speed if she understood how the black haired spear-master did it.

"It's his Aura. Like Yang, Mercer's has an elemental affinity to it. Her's being fire and his being wind," said blonde nodded at the connection but remained silent like the others. "Wind is the symbol of speed, nothing is faster. Mercer coats himself in a layer of his Aura and uses the wind property to enhance his speed and move at a faster rate than normal. I also expect the cold nature of his Aura also tends to slow down the bodily heat of whoever he is facing to make them sluggish and therefore make his own speed even more effective. The only reason we could see the layer of Aura on Mercer right now is because he's standing still, the normal fast pace of his movement makes it blend into his clothing. It's ingenious... and requires a level of Aura Control far beyond most people could imagine."

"Impressive, your green eyed friend down there is truly a force to be reckoned with," Elijah commented, finding Ren's theory to be sound.

"Wait... so how does Mercer's Aura deflect weapons and projectiles then," this time it was Weiss who asked the question.

"I think I can answer that one," Pyrrha interjected. "Simply put, Mercer's Aura is so dense that it just stops anything that comes in contact with it. Although from what we've seen from him that only applies when he is actively using his Aura to a high extent. So on one hand, Mercer's Aura makes him very fast and in the other its an ultimate shield. For him to maintain either of those as well as actively switch between them on the fly tells you that Mercer is very disciplined and mentally focused almost all the time." The green clothed warrior next to Nora nodded at the Spartan's ideas, agreeing with her assessment.

Martin let out a grunt. "This Mercer is a powerful individual."

"You have no idea..." Yang trailed off.

Everything said by Ren and Pyrrha was correct. Mercer's prowess come more from his pure skill and Aura rather than factors like **Nightmare** and his regeneration. The merc values technique over raw strength or special powers, but he's not against using them to win.

Mercenary Rule Number 1: Anything goes in order to survive.

While Ren and Pyrrha had given their expositions on Mercer's powers, the two mercs had continued their fight, only the field had evened out more. Thanks to Rouge's knowledge on Mercer's agile form of combat, he was able to avoid any major hits and actually start cutting Mercer with his weapon. Granted, his regeneration healed him up a second later and the only trace of the damage was to his clothing, but Rouge didn't care. His plan was working. What the others didn't know was there was one major flaw to Mercer's ultimate defense. It was so simple that most would never think of it.

But Rouge was an unorthodox person and thought differently than others.

The Corruption Dust enhanced man wasted no time and continued his assault. Normally Mercer be more calm and rational about the whole fight, as well as figured out Rouge's ploy. But no, all the recent events clouded the rational part of Mercer's mind and now he was acting on emotion. Using Empty Promise to vault himself into the air before spinning his body to deliver a roundhouse kick to the face. For added effect, he channeled a bit more Aura into his leg to increase velocity. But Rouge got what he wanted with that attack.

In a surprising turn of events, Rouge brought up his hand and caught Mercer's leg before contact could be made. Rouge now held Mercer by his leg in the air, a good thing considering the impact broke all the bones in his hand, but it was worth it. "Gotcha Mercer," he taunted with a smug grin.

Mercer's only response was to deepen his scowl and then do something more surprising in turn.

_CRACK!_

The dark warrior twisted his leg around, effectively breaking his tibia and fibula into many pieces, and kicked Rouge in the jaw with his other leg. This action caused Rouge to let go of Mercer and leave himself wide open. The Viper took this chance and delivered a brutal, deep diagonal slash from Rouge's left to shoulder to the right side of his pelvis. The cut was sure to form a scar later on, which would coincidentally form a mirrored one to the scar Mercer gave Rouge those years ago. When the stoic hunter landed back on the ground, his sickly twisted leg reset itself and was back to normal. But something was off.

Rouge was smiling.

"Rule Number 2..."

_BANG!_

By the time Mercer registered what the Tiger Faunus said, a hole was in the right side of his abdomen. A bullet hole. The merc looked back up to see Rouge holding a rather large handgun that held one bullet. Although that bullet was anti-tank round, so the effects can easily be imagined. The round had completely destroyed Mercer's right lung and left a huge bleeding hole in his side.

Mercenary Rule Number 2: Always carry a sidearm just in case.

_"Damn..._" Mercer was mentally berating himself for letting his guard down. His black blood oozed from the would and poured of his mouth. Rouge had exploited the flaw in his regeneration. While Mercer can heal almost any wound, the process of healing takes up stamina. Meaning consecutive healing, like what he was doing the entire fight, would tire him out. By causing a major wound after draining him of his stamina over time, Rouge had slowed down Mercer's regeneration to the point he was not healing fast enough. This was his Achilles heel, that's why Mercer prefers to focus more on channeling his Aura into defense rather than a speed boost.

Though Mercer wasn't the only one seriously hurt. The diagonal slash across Rouge's torso was still bleeding heavily. He could feel his conscious slipping and predicted Mercer was the same. Despite it all... the Tiger Faunus was still smiling.

It was one hell of a fight.

And just like that, both mercenaries fell down into a pool of their own blood, knocked out from excessive blood loss.

No sooner than when their bodies made contact with the ground, the two were carted off to the infirmary for emergency medical attention.

**Later that Night**

Both Rouge and Mercer were confined to stay the night in the infirmary by the nurse. Rouge suffered from multiple broken bones, the giant gash on his chest, and the loss of most of his blood. Mercer was admitted for major blood loss as well and the fact that his entire right lung was destroyed along with most of his side. After about an hour Mercer's regeneration kicked back in and healed up quickly, but was still forced to stay in the infirmary by the nurse's orders.

How that woman's sickly sweet smile could compel him to stay put was beyond his comprehension.

Rouge woke up sometime later and Mercer apologized for the damage he had caused, but the Faunus just waved it off. He had a blast fighting Mercer full out and didn't regret a thing. Seeing this caused Mercer to let go of his anger and return to his relaxed self. After that Rouge fell asleep and had been since.

Their friends had tried to check on them, but the nurse refused to allow them any visitors.

Again, that damn smile.

The only person who did come in was Ozpin, and he and Mercer discussed much. The Headmaster had conceded that Mercer was indeed right in that even allowing lesser evil to exist was not acceptable. The merc in turn apologized for his actions and took back the insults he had said. While Mercer no longer was angry with Ozpin, the gray haired man would have to earn back the trust that was lost, it was only fair.

Currently Mercer was sitting up in the infirmary bed glancing out at the shattered moon through the window. The serene atmosphere made Mercer relax and the stress ebb away from his body.

"Nice night to gaze at the sky isn't it?"

A familiar seductive voice caused Mercer to snap his head back to the room. There he found the entrancing fiery eyes of Cinder Fall looking at his jade green ones. She stepped closer to him and revealed she was wearing a extremely tempting red dress that tugged at a man's hormones.

"Mind if I join you," she inquired. When Mercer nodded a approval, the dark haired woman pulled up a chair and sat next to Mercer's bedside. The two then returned to the sky-gazing for a short time before Cinder broke the silence again. "It's a beautiful and tragic thing, the moon," the seductress said, gaining Mercer's attention. "A big, majestic light that illuminates the dark... but it is lonely and broken. Such a tragic thing."

Mercer's eyes widened at what she said, he himself having a similar view on the moon. "I agree... it's a symbol that light suffers to hold back the dark."

Cinder smiled beautifully and giggled some. "The dark isn't always a bad thing my dear. Sometimes... the only path one can take is to embrace the shadows and cast away the light."

The dark warrior chose not to respond, instead he thought on what Cinder had said and it was something he could understand. Then something else popped in his head. "Why did you come to see me? The nurse said no visitors and its past the curfew."

"My two teammates were in the class you were in when you went all out against that snoring giant over there. I was worried about you," Mercer could feel the sincerity in her voice and believed her. Cinder then closed one of her eyes and put a single finger up to her luscious smiling lips. "There's nothing wrong with breaking a little rule now is there? Or am I a bad girl," she teased, looking incredibly sexy while doing so.

Mercer's reaction was to blush at what she was doing. The flame queen was good at getting a reaction out of him. For some unknown reason... he found being around Cinder felt natural to him.

Cinder once again giggled at him and stood up, straightening out her very short dress before returning her focus back to the bedridden merc. "I think I will leave and let you get some sleep," she then leaned in and kissed him on the nose. "To give you sweet dreams," with that, the temptress turned around headed out the door, a satisfied grin on her face.

Mercer stared at the door for a few minutes and eventually settled down into the bed and drifted off to sleep.

He actually had a pleasant dream that night.

** AAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNDDDD DONE!**

** Finally... it was worth all the hell but I'M BACK BABY!**

** Whole lot happened this chapter; new characters, a look into Mercer's mindset and explanation of his powers, a epic fight between Mercer and Rouge (many have asked for it and now its delivered), and Cinder is starting to make her move on Mercer.**

** Damn this is getting good!**

** On these new characters, the Radec siblings, you'll get to know them better in the next chapter. As for their accents, they're British ones, with Elijah's being a full blown one, Roxanne barely having one, and Martin being the middle ground between the two. All these were made by MrGreen37 so all the credit goes to him.**

** With luck now that I've got a bit of my grove back, I can get out chapters faster. I am so sorry about the two months of silence, I hate disappointing you all.**

** Once again, thank you Captain Capri for you encouraging words.**

** Please remember to review, comment, PM, and ask question. I do really love to hear from you all.**

** See ya next time.**


	28. Chapter 24

**RWBY: Viper's Glare **

** Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

**Chapter 24: Heir to the Stars**

"She's a Super-Freak, Super-Freak, she's Super Freaky..." the female Radec sibling sung and hummed as she skipped down the hallway to the Dining Hall. The song she was singing was an odd one, but the Gothic girl felt it fit her well. Roxanne had slept in some and her brothers had gone on ahead to breakfast without her. She wore the same provocative attire from the day before, reason why is that she, Elijah, and Martin did not attend any of the Huntsmen Academies. Rather, they were privately taught. One of the perks of coming from money. Each person she passed drew their eyes towards her, hard not to since she stuck out so much. Walking into the Dining Hall, she quickly found her siblings sitting with the two teams they had spoken to yesterday. A group of male students started eyeballing her as she got deeper into the large room. Wanting to have a bit of fun, Roxanne did something that was typical of her.

She hiked up her miniskirt and flashed her neon blue panties at them.

The result of the entire group dropping their food and falling over each other was instant.

With that, Roxanne strolled over to her brothers with a smile on her face.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"So yeah, thanks to his last attack, I've got a huge X on my torso now," Rouge stated before taking another bite of his food. The Tiger Faunus was regaling the table's occupants with how his trip to the infirmary went. "... looks really cool in my opinion."

Weiss only scoffed at his statement. "_Cool_ huh, you're lucky that Mercer's slash didn't **kill** you," she said harshly. "The only reason you're not dead is because both of you exhausted yourselves and passed out. Thankfully a draw cancels the terms of the **Nex Sacramentum**. Which, by the way, was the dumbest thing you've ever done."

Rouge just let her continue until she stopped. "Finished? Good, yes it was stupid, but Mercer's back to normal so in this case I call it a win."

"Speaking of that Mercer fellow, where is he," Elijah asked. He was rather curious about that warrior with jade eyes. It was rare to see someone fight with such ferocity while maintaining a calm demeanor.

"Well Mercer was back to full health about an hour or so from sitting there, he stayed there the night, but was gone when I woke up," Rouge shrugged before scarfing down more of his food. "My guess, he'll show up pretty soon."

"Mercer seems to be a rather indomitable force to reckon with," added the other male Radec.

"The near instant regeneration, godly Aura levels, and supreme skill in battle tend to back that statement," Yang added. She, Weiss, and Ruby all sat one one side of the table while JNPR, the Radecs, and Rouge sat on the other. Blake was busy running herself into the ground at the library so she wasn't present.

"Seems like you all are getting along fine without me," the table turned to find Roxanne standing there with one hand on her hip and a cup of coffee in the other. The Gothic girl turned to her brothers and smirked. "Nice of you to leave me and come here without waking you up."

Elijah shrugged. "You seemed to be peaceful."

"You snore like a fucking train," Martin mumbled.

"Aww... is someone a Mr. Grumpy-Pants today," their sister chided in a childish voice, ruffling Martin's hair before sitting down between Elijah and Pyrrha.

"... hate you."

"You say the nicest things."

Everyone else could only chuckle at the interactions between the three siblings. Despite what they were saying, you could see the love between them. They were very close. Once they had settled down, Roxanne began to stare at Pyrrha rather... sensually.

"Um... can I help you," the spartan awkwardly asked. This was new to her, no one had ever stared at her with such an intense look of... hunger.

"Oh... you know..." the female Radec smiled and placed her head in one arm and traced circles on the table with the other. "I was just thinking how you completely decimated that team yesterday," she began to walk her fingers across the table towards the redhead as she moved her body closer to Pyrrha. "The way to easily picked them apart was so exhilarating! You were amazing how calm and focused you were. The power and skill you showed made me so... wet." By the time she had finished, Roxanne's body was flushed against Pyrrha's, her hand was on the champion's thigh and the look of pure lust on her face clearly showed what was going through her mind.

Didn't take long for everyone, other than Ruby, to figure out exactly what was going on.

"Roxy could you please refrain from attempting to seduce Miss Pyrrha please? We've only known them for a day and we don't want you scaring anyone away," Elijah pleaded.

"But Eli..." she whined, turning back to her brother while making a pouting expression. "But she's so beautiful and strong and you know that's my type," she the turned back to Pyrrha and put back on her sultry face. "I just wanna ravage this gorgeous body of hers. We can go to the showers if you want... we'll can be real kinky there..."

Needless to say everyone elses jaws were slack at Roxanne's bold proposition. The trickle of blood running down Jaune's nose told that the image Roxy just described had shown up in his mind.

_"Am I turned on by this,"_ Rouge asked himself. He briefly glanced down at his lap before looking back up. _"That would be a yes."_

"Oh... uh... I'm flattered by your words but..." Pyrrha slid closer to her team and away from Gothic girl. "I don't like... women."

Roxanne's face went blank for a second before she straightened herself back up. "Oh poo... all the pretty ones are straight," she then put her arms on the table and cradled her head in them.

Pyrrha recomposed herself and looked at the sulking Radec "I'm sorry... I was just shocked that you were a-"

Roxanne smiled lightly and turned to the redhead." "Its OK Luv, I'm bisexual. There are PLENTY of fish in the sea for me," she stated, once again shocking everyone but her brothers. Not every day you meet someone so open about their sexuality.

"Okay... oh, there's Mercer," Jaune called out. The table's attention turned to see Mercer walk in with his hands in his pockets. That part of him, the laid back stoic nature was expected, what was not expected was for him to be walking and speaking with someone.

That "someone" was none other than Cinder Fall.

She walked next to him with a smile on her face, occasionally giggling at something. Mercer himself was smiling lightly, an aspect of peace seemed to surround him.

They were enjoying each other's company.

And that made two sisters very jealous.

The scowls present on Ruby and Yang's faces made it very clear they did NOT like Mercer acting very friendly to the raven haired woman. Who, for clarification, was stunningly gorgeous. The very idea of having to compete for Mercer's affection against someone like her was both annoying and worrying. Eventually Cinder broke off from Mercer and he made his was over to them. But something was off.

"Hey, where's Roxanne," Weiss asked, having turned around to find the Gothic triplet missing.

Eli looked over at the empty space that his sister once occupied and paled slightly. "Oh no..."

"She's found new prey," Martin muttered, looking away due to know what was going to happen.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

So far Mercer's morning was a rather pleasant one. After finally being able to leave the infirmary in the early morning, he returned to his room to clean himself and change clothes. This day, like others the jade eyed warrior had, was a free day for him. Unlike many students, Mercer had to only attend classes three days of the week while others had at the most five. That was due to his excellent grades and superior skills making combat instructions unneeded. Once he was prepared, Mercer left his room and started in the direction of the dining hall. Along the way, he ran into his late night visitor form the day before, Cinder. The merc and the temptress then decided that each other's company would make the walk to the dining hall more enjoyable. The two had a rather deep discussion on the use of grafting Dust into things, such as clothes and accessories. It put an idea in the back of his mind, but it was something that could be touched upon later.

Right now the dark hunter could see his friends at the same table that they usually occupied. But this time they were joined by two young men. Mercer vaguely remembered seeing them the day before next to the others during his battle with Rouge.

Wait, wasn't there a young woman with them?

Mercer was brought out of his musings when a certain Gothic young woman appeared right in front of him. She was shorter than him, but had somehow brought her face right up to his own. The merc instantly recognized her as being the missing person from the group he was just thinking about. The girl had her hands behind her back and she was leaning forward, obviously trying to show off her body. Her eyes were clouded by passion and a sultry grin was tattooed across her face. Her intentions truly couldn't be any more clearer.

"Hello there," the young woman spoke with a seductive edge as she leaned in closer to his face, which she somehow accomplished despite being shorter than him. Roxanne was fickle in what she is attracted to, and two certain traits are what really get a fire burning inside her; power and appearance. If a person is a great warrior who was also extremely handsome/beautiful... she will stop at nothing to get them in a bed. And (un)fortunately for Mercer, he is a prime example of everything she desires.

"Good morning..." Mercer replied, slightly leaning back as to regain some of his personal space. "Can I help you Miss..."

"Roxanne, Roxanne Radec. But you can call me whatever you want darling," Roxy answered as she trailed a lithe finger around Mercer's collarbone. "I saw your fight yesterday. It was... a splendid show you put on for those watching. Forgive me if I seem crass, but I was wondering if you could show me how you handle that _spear_ of your's... in private," she finished as her tongue sensually glided across her lips.

_**"I don't think she's talking about Empty Promise, Viper,"**_ the madness stated in a blank tone. Even it found the situation to be odd.

Mercer was inclined to agree with the manifestation of his insanity. This young woman seemed to have sex on the brain. While any normal person would walk away slowly... the merc figured he'd try to be nice and put her down easy. "If you want to train sometime, I'm sure we can work something out," he responded, trying to change the subject of the conversation to a more appropriate one.

"Splendid," Roxy all but purred. She then latched onto Mercer's left arm, paying close attention to enveloping his arm around her breasts, and pulling him towards the others. "Let's get you introduced to my brothers."

Upon reaching the table, Mercer was quickly pulled from the female Radec's grasp by a irritated Yang before placed in a seat between said blonde and the Schnee Heiress. Roxy simply smiled and sauntered back to her seat, making sure to slowly sit back down and never take her eyes off of Mercer. Like Martin had told the others, Roxy now had her prey, and she would not relent in her hunt.

"Well then... first I'd like to apologize for our sisters, eh... _friendly_ disposition," the eldest Radec started sending a not so subtle glare to his sister, who just continued on at looking at Mercer. "And secondly, I'm Elijah Radec and this is my brother Martin. You've already met our sister Roxanne," Elijah then extended his arm for a handshake.

The jade eyed warrior responded in turn and did the same. "Mercer Knight... Radec... I've heard that name before..."

At that moment something clicked in Weiss' head. "Radec! That's the name on a transportation company in Atlas, my family has vehicles made by them."

"Yeah, Radec Industrial Motors. Our father's company deals in just about anything that has an engine and people ride in. Cars, trains, Bullheads..." Martin listed on, he then pointed outside, right at the Atlesian Battleship floating in the distance from Beacon. "Old man helped design that flying deathtrap."

The others listen intently to Martin and Eli describe their family's company and the things they had made. The size and influence of the business could be compared to the Schnee Dust Company that is run by Weiss' family. Sometime during the conversation Rouge had gotten up and acquired another plate of pancakes as well as a cup of coffee for Mercer, who was being held in place by Yang in fear of Roxanne trying something when he gets up.

"Still talking about all that stuff, man you rich people sure can drag on," the Tiger Faunus said as he began to chew on a blueberry pancake. The Radecs showed no sign of being offended while JNPR simply listened on to everything. Across the table the Rose/Xiao Long sisters snickered at Rouge's jab, they knew from experience with Weiss and her occasional rants that the statement seemed to be a fact. Weiss on the other hand simply scowled harder at his statement.

"Like you understand the complexity behind the things that we discuss anyway, you buffoon," she responded before sticking her finger out at him. "The ins and outs of a global company simply..."and thus the Heiress began to drabble on about corporate management and high society, therefore boring the titan merc and RY. Rouge just started to wonder why she was always this... what's the most appropriate word? Snobby? Posh? Bitchy? Yeah that one seemed the most accurate in his eyes. At first he just blankly stared at Weiss, then his eyes traveled over to Ruby and Yang as he noted the differences. In time he had an epiphany. He looked at Weiss, then Ruby and Yang, then back to Weiss... this continued until he finally had an idea to why she was such a pain.

Eventually Weiss caught on to Rouge's actions. "What in the world are you doing?"

The ax-wielder looked up at her before speaking, a grin forming on his face. "I think I figured out why you're so much of an Ice Queen," Rouge said in a sing-song voice.

The Schnee girl's eye twitched at the mention of her most hated nickname. "And what reason would that be?" Her teeth were grinding and the others could seemingly feel her anger.

"You're jealous."

"Jealous?! Of what?"

Rouge then broke into his trademark full tooth feline grin. "Because unlike your teammates Weiss, you are a card carrying member of the Itty Bitty Titty Committee."

The silence following Rouge's response was deafening, it was like everything outside of the table of thirteen people vanished. No one even dared speak, even the usually bubbly Nora and ever-teasing Yang had ceased to make noise. Jaune had a spoonful of food in his mouth, Pyrrha's hand immediately went to cover her mouth, Ruby was slowly sliding away from her partner, and even Mercer was thrown through a loop and had figured that Rouge was a dead man now.

Weiss at first simply had her eyes opened as much as possible, her brain beginning to process what the Tiger Faunus had said to her. The Heiress' back went stiff and her eyes narrowed while small tears formed in the corners. A angry scowl marred her lips while her entire face erupted in a deep scarlet blush. Weiss was both furious and absolutely embarrassed by what Rouge uttered out, and now the moron was the subject of all her rage. One couldn't tell what her next course of action could be. She could run out of the Dining Hall crying her eyes out. Could start yelling and screaming at the top of her lungs. Might even fly into a rage and attack Rouge. Though in some way, she looked rather cute when angry like this.

Rouge's smirk quickly faded when he came to the realization that Weiss could possibly cause some major damage to him. There was only such much destruction Aura could heal... and by the look on the Schnee girl's face she very well could aim for a place he wouldn't want damaged at all. Somehow he had to draw her anger away from him. But how? Without thinking, the ax-wielder did something crazy. Something that no one could see coming. "D-Don't be angry... look, Mercer likes them," he exclaimed hurriedly. For a split second no one was sure what Rouge meant by that... until he reached across the table and grabbed one of Mercer's wrist before pulling the arm over to Weiss, which then caused Mercer's hand to latch on to the Heiress' left breast. Effectively, Rouge made the jade and black themed warrior grope the white haired young woman.

Everyone else stayed in the same frozen state as before, other than counting the fact that the spoon of food in Jaune's mouth had fallen out and landed on his lap. Mercer simply stared at his hand, stunned at what happened and what he was fondling. The merc wasn't much for thinking overly perverted, thank Rouge for his constant discussions about the fairer sex for that, but he couldn't deny that Weiss' breasts were very nice. While it was true that she didn't have a rack as big as Yang or Blake, her's where soft ans supple as well as perfectly fitting in Mercer's hand. Constantly being surrounded by beautiful young women seemed to cause a change in Mercer, as he was starting to be thankful for the pleasantries of being around the fairer sex.

Or Rouge was turning him into a pervert.

Damn that Tiger...

Weiss shivered slightly as she stared down at Mercer's hand with wide eyes. What everyone else was unaware of was that Weiss was very,**very** sensitive around her breasts and neck. The electrical jolts shooting through the Heiress' body were causing her to bite her tongue to prevent her from moaning. Even she could not deny that Mercer's hand felt good... but that was beside the point right now. Her brain finally started to function again and she quickly processed what was going on. In a... appropriate response to the current situation, the young woman let out a quick shriek and pulled away from the merc before raising extending her arm back and...

_SLAP!_

… slapped Mercer straight across the face with enough force to leave a full handprint on his cheek.

The spear-master reeled back from the slap, his face contorting to one of absolute shock. Part of him believed he deserved it, the rest of him wondered why this always happens only to him. Mercer had to give Weiss some credit... for someone with such small and dainty hands she could hit hard. He subconsciously brought his hand up check his face, the slight stinging sensation reinforced his belief on Weiss's strength.

The whole time the rest of the table's occupants watched on at the scene before them with a mixture of shock, confusion, and slight amusement. Seeing Weiss act like a normal a girl and Mercer breaking out of that stoic shell of his was releving to see. Those two tended to always have barriers up around them and rarely ever let them down. It was refreshing.

Rouge on the other hand simply had his mouth agape for the last few moments, having trouble registering what just happened. He was expecting Weiss to yell and run away or faint, but not recoil back and hit the shit out of Mercer. In truth... it was funny.

Which is why the Tiger Faunus suddenly burst into hysterical laughter while pointing at the Schnee and the merc.

His actions caused both Mercer and Weiss to turn to him in unison and adopt the same scowl on both their faces. Their actions further mirrored each other when theay glanced over at each other at the same time before they both reeled back and punched Rouge square in his face. This caused the orange eyed warrior to yelp out in pain and fall backwards off the bench he was sitting at.

It was at that moment that everyone else started to laugh and chuckle at the whole little show they just witnessed. Mercer and Weiss pulled their arms back to their sides before glancing at each other, sharing the smallest of smirks with each other. That vanished though when they remembered what had happned no more than a few minutes ago, causing them to look away from each other, Weiss' cheeks painted scarlet while Mercer's had darkend slightly.

"Sorry about that..."

"I-It's not your fault..."

The two mumbled out their apologizes to each other and silently agreed to never bring up this incident again.

Amazingly it was Yang who recovered from the laughing fit first. "Damn Weiss, didn't know you could hit like that... makes me so proud," the busty blonde chuckled out. The Schnee responded with a huff and turned away from her teammate.

Rouge chose this time to peel himself off the floor with a groan before sitting back on the bench. His nose was bent at an angle signalling it was broken. Reaching up and grabbing the broken appendage, he snapped it back into place with a loud _crack_ and let his Aura handle the rest. "OK, I deserved all of that... so, what's everyone's plans for today," Rouge asked as he folded his arms on the table and laid his head down. "My morning is free so I'm gonna do some maintenance on Eternal Victory, the thing needs some work done. After I've got Peach's class and a test to make up"

"We've got double sessions with Port and Oobleck for most of the day, then we wanted to get some team training in with what is left of the day," Jaune answered while his team nodded in agreement. They received sympathetic looks from RWY and Rouge, who pitied them for having to deal with those two professors for most of the day.

Elijah was the next to answer. "We have classes all day it seems. Apparently exchange students have to go to all classes once they arrive her before they can participate in anything outside of schoolwork and that dance tomorrow." He appeared to be reading from his Scroll about what he and his siblings would be dealing with.

Yang perked up and practically bounced out of her seat when the eldest Radec finished. "Speaking of the dance, we will be putting the final touches on everything today and tomorrow before the party starts," she beamed brightly, proud of of the work they had been putting into the dance. "It's gonna be a blast... and I get to dance with a certain someone as well," the brawler said the last part quietly as she glanced over at a certain green eyed, devilishly handsome warrior.

Ruby, who had heard what her sister had said under hear breath, pouted slightly. She had the same idea as Yang, to use the dance to get closer to Mercer. She would spend time with her secret love no matter what... even it meant wearing those stupid high heels that came with her dress. "What are you doing today Mercer?"

He glanced over at her to answer, the handprint that was on his face having finally faded. "I'm ahead in all my classes so I really don't have anything to do today. Might just relax for the day and do nothing," Mercer responded nonchalantly as he ran a hand through his silky black hair. He was fine with all this, the merc felt like he needed the rest after yesterday's events.

Soon the large group finished their food and headed their separate ways, each having their own thing to do for the day. Little did a certain Heiress know, she would discover a powerful truth about a certain serpent-eyed man.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**Vale**

"Thank you for your business," Weiss called out as she exited a shop that catered food for parties. It was now midday and the Heiress was down in the city buying the things they would need for the dance. Earlier, after they had split from the others, RWBY minus Blake had continued preparing the gym for the dance. Weiss decided to come down to the city and purchase the things they couldn't get at the school, such as the food she just ordered, and having it delivered to Beacon the next day.

Including the damn fog machine that Yang wanted.

Said blonde had left to go and try again to get Blake out of her funk and get her to attend the dance while Ruby stayed behind in the gym to look after things. Weiss decided to head down to Vale as this was the perfect time to buy the things that they needed. After buying the fog machine, glassware, and finally the food, the white haired girl had finally finished purchasing everything that she and her team needed to make this dance at this point she really didn't have anything left to due for the day. Everything she purchased wouldn't be delivered until the next day and going back now would mean doing nothing but watch Ruby sulk about the situation with their Faunus teammate. Seeing as she was already in Vale, the Heiress figured she might as well enjoy the rest of the day by herself. All around her the majority of the city was still preparing for the Vytal Festival coming very soon and for that she couldn't help but enjoy it. Weiss always enjoyed the cultural aspects of events such as these, the sheer history behind it all spoke volumes to how much the Kingdoms had advanced over the years. Her black high heeled shoes clicked lighlty as she walked down a street and around a corner, her white skirt, light blue blouse, and black silk jacket trailing delicately with her movements. Currently Weiss didn't see any shop worth taking the time to go into, the part of town she was in seemed to mostly be dominated by things that held little to no interest for her. After walking for a little longer the Heiress turned a corner, and that's when something caught her eye. A store she would very much enjoy.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**Rhythm Royale Music Store**

It's a small, quaint store. Rhythm Royale sold all kinds of music and music-based accessories, as well as performing custom orders and a in-city delivery service, making it popular for a non-franchise store. It sold every kind of music you could think of, which helped with it's business. Walking through the doors, Weiss smiled lightly as she walked in, the cool air conditioned air hitting her gently as the scent of freshly cleaned windows assaulted her nostrils. The music store took pride in keeping itself hygienic and the Schnee girl enjoyed that. This wasn't her first time inside Rhythm Royale, far from it. She would periodically order music from the establishment online and download her purchases to her Scroll. Though there were sometimes she would want a hard copy of something, call it nostalgia. Seeing as she already knew the layout of the store, Weiss made a beeline for the section she wanted. Now many would believe that the prim and proper noble Heiress of the illustrious Schnee family would have a taste genres of music such as orchestral, symphonic, and classical, as would be fitting of her status.

But no, that was not where Weiss went or what she really enjoyed listening to.

Nope... Weiss Schnee was a diehard fan of Rock music.

And that's the store section she headed straight for.

One would think this stemmed from a rebellious teenage phase, but Weiss' love for Rock came from a purely chance meeting. As a young child, the Heiress once had a day to herself (not counting the ever-present bodyguards) in Atlas and she stumbled upon a street performer playing acoustic Rock on a guitar. She was immediately drawn into the soulful cords of the music and soon she could not turn away from the man who was playing, in her opinion, the most beautiful sounds in the world. When Weiss had shyly asked the man what he was playing, and the man simply answered pure Rock n' Roll, and since then the white haired young woman has been enamored with the genre. While she still would keep up her posh appearance and go on to perform music of a more "noble" standing, the Schnee girl would always secretly buy Rock and listen to it so much she had the rhythm of each song embedded in her soul. From the pounding soul of the drums to the dominating roar of guitar rifts, Weiss would often get lost in her own little world of blissful music every time she would play a song. Walking to a booth that had headphones embedded in them, Weiss noticed that one of her favorite band's new album was being sampled at the booth. Seeing that, she wasted no time in grabbing a pair and sliding them on her head, reminding herself it would be a good idea to get herself a set of headphones much Ruby does, and starting up a random song from the selection.

As soon as she pressed play, Weiss' ears were greeted by the slow build of the drums, then came the rifts of the guitar and bass, and finally the song picked up and the vocals kicked in. The Heiress subconsciously found herself swaying to the beat of the music as her head swayed back and forth. She pushed the headphones closer to her head so that she heard every little detail of the song. Like every other song by this band, Weiss instantly fell in love with it, the melody calling to her soul and soothing her mind. She knew she had to have this album. Pulling off the headphones and reminding herself to absolutely buy some headphones, Weiss walked away from the booth and down the isle that was alphabetically sorted and started to search for her prize. With it being a brand new album from a popular band, there was a handful of spaces dedicated to the new music. She smiled as her thin hand reached to pluck a copy from the rack, only to find herself coming into contact with another, much larger and masculine hand. Jerking her head up and to the side, the expression of shock and annoyance on her face was quickly replaced with recognition when Weiss found herself staring into the familiar jade serpentine eyes of Mercer Knight.

"Mercer?"

"... Weiss?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

After their encounter, the two quickly separated and each grabbed a copy of the album from different racks, as to not risk a repeat of the first time. Weiss payed for her purchase first followed by Mercer who took a little more time to get some extra purchases. Once he had finished, the merc had exited the store to find that Weiss had stayed outside and waited for him, both hands on her bag with her arms situated at her front.

"Hungry," he simply asked, getting a nod from the Schnee girl. Mercer motioned for her to follow him and soon they had a matched pace as they traveled further into Vale. Neither said anything, each with their minds occupied by something else. As they continued to their destination, Weiss stole a few glances at her companion, taking in his appearance. Usually all anyone say Mercer wear was his normal suit or the Academy's uniform, but right now he was dressed completely casual, and it fit him quite well. He wore simple dark jeans with sneakers similar to Jaune's and a snug green short sleeved shirt. Thanks to the tightness of said shirt, all of Mercer's lean, hardened muscles where easily displayed, causing the occasional female passerby to take a second glance at him. What the Heiress found herself mostly gazing at was the warriors tattoos. As they were now, the intricate and sophisticated markings where such a deep shade of black that they seemed to suck in all the light around them, which contrasted the beautiful green glow they give off when the merc used his Aura. Being so close to him when he wasn't wearing long sleeves allowed one to truly admire the tattoos, despite the horrid truth behind them.

Soon the jade eyed man had led her to a small corner cafe, a common shop in Vale judging by the number of them seen around the city. Choosing a table that was a little secluded from others, the two where soon approached by a waiter.

"May I take your orders please," he asked in a kind and polite tone.

Weiss quickly looked down at the menu to see what she wanted, it didn't take her long to choose something that sounded appealing to her. "I'll have slice of raspberry cheesecake and a glass of water please."

Quickly writing down the white haired girl's order, the waiter then turned to her male companion. "Cherry danish with a cup of coffee. Cream and three sugars," the merc answered.

Nodding in response the waiter left, Weiss then turned to Mercer with a puzzled look. "I thought you liked your coffee black?"

"I blame Ruby, her love of sugar has started slinking over to me," the merc responded, propping and elbow on the table and resting his head in his hand. Weiss nodded at his answer, she too knowing how the little reaper can affect others around her. "I didn't expect to see you in Vale, Weiss. Or to be in a music store for that matter."

The Heiress situated herself into a more comfortable position before answering her stoic companion. "I came to the city to purchase things for the dance that we didn't at the school. After I finished I saw no reason to waste a perfectly good day for myself so spending a few hours for some "me" time felt right. As for the music store..." her eyes shifted to the side in minuscule embarrassment before returning to Mercer in a slight glare. "... speak of that to **no one**."

"Why?"

"Because..."

"That's not an answer Weiss."

Weiss gain the slightest blush at realizing she had to tell Mercer the truth about her taste in music. "I don't want anyone to know that the _perfect little princess who likes classic and opera music_ is actually a hardcore rock fanatic. More so I don't want my father to know that..."

Mercer nodded his head sagely at her words. The status quo of someone with Weiss' background meant she had to fit into this perfect little niche that others made for her. He could definitely respect her decision to be different form what was expected of her. Nothing wrong with being a rebel to the system in place. The merc himself was much the same way. He never wanted to do things to impress people (that just somehow came naturally) and just did what he wanted when others could've looked down upon it. "Fair enough, I won't say anything to harm a fellow admirer of rock."

There was a visible shift in Weiss' mood from Mercer's response to a more cheerful one. "I forgot there for a moment, we were both reaching for the same album. Are you a big fan of them too?"

"Yeah, have been since their debut a few years back."

"I found out about them a year ago by accident. On the Internet surprisingly."

"_Everything_ is on the Internet."

Mercer's statement caused Weiss to laugh a little and the merc himself to grin. This was fun. Getting to relax with a friend and talk over something you shared a common passion with. At that, both Mercer and Weiss realized something. They both shared so many common likes and traits. Both loved rock music, they both were studious in their work, had a high class sense of style, a mutual fascination with Dust, and so on.

When Mercer looked at Weiss, he felt a sense of fellowship with the Heiress like no other. The staggering amount of things she had in common with him made the merc feel at complete ease in her presence, something absolutely no one had ever done before. To Mercer, Weiss Schnee is the one person who he can safely say he could always count on.

Weiss saw Mercer as the one person in life she could relate to the most out of everyone in her life. Her teammates, her partner, their friends, even her own family didn't have nearly as much in common with her as the jade eyed man across from her did. The elegant Schnee girl could believe that Mercer is the one person she could always turn to.

The waiter soon returned with both their respective orders and the two young warriors began to silently enjoy their respective treats. As the pair continued to eat, Weiss looked up at Mercer, hesitance swimming in her icy blue eyes. She needed to speak to him. To come clean.

She knew.

Ever since what had come to be known as "The Skybreaker Incident" Weiss had been wondering more about Mercer. So she really looked into him, using as much of her namesake to find the info on the jade spearmaster as she could. And she found a great deal of information. Who he is, what he's done... that Mercer is the Viper. But she wanted to hear it from his mouth.

Weiss trusted Mercer and wanted them to have no secrets from each other, and that's why she was going to let him know. The Heiress wouldn't lie to herself and say she wasn't worried about how he'd react. Mercer is a difficult person to read, so his reaction could be anything. But second guessing herself was going to get her nowhere, so Weiss swallowed her fear and took the dive.

"Mercer... I need to speak with you about something..."

The hesitance laced in the white haired young woman's voice told Mercer that what would come next was something important to her. For that, he focused all his attention on her. At this moment, nothing else in the world mattered to him other than what Weiss needed to say.

"N-Not here though..." she stated with uncertainty still in her voice. Somewhere we have a little more privacy."

Mercer nodded, standing and leaving the Lien needed to pay for their meals. "There's a park nearby, we should get some space there," he said, offering his hand to her.

The Heiress nodded, accepting his gentlemanly gesture and following him. She would get her answer.

And learn so much more than she would expect.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**Vale Western Park**

Weiss walked along side Mercer as they entered a park area. The two traveling in silence as others within the area went about their day in the park, families having fun and kids chasing each other as they played. The sight brought the fainest smile onto Weiss's face as she glanced around. The park was so peaceful even with all the activities going on within it. She glanced at Mercer, finding that his expression had not changed to much by the new atmosphere.  
The two sat down on a bench that Mercer led her to and remained silent, simply enjoying the presence of the other, or at least Weiss was. She could not tell what Mercer was feeling at the moment, it was always hard to read the man. A fact that irritated and intrigued her, while annoying on some level, it provided her with a challenge. To find out just who Mercer Knight was, and what he was really like.

Weiss shifted her gaze to a nearby statue of a Huntress that had been built in her honor, only the greatest of Huntsmen and Huntresses ever got such a thing. Her curiosity about the green eyed man had led her to looking into his past, pulling up all sorts of contacts her family had in order to even find a shred of information about him. It was almost like Mercer was a ghost with how little she had found. It was almost like someone wanted his very existence erased from memory, living or otherwise.

But she did find things, interesting enough that she felt an even greater urge to discover more about Mercer. Funnily enough, what she had found had been within her family company business transactions, with a large sum Lien being paid to a Mercer. No last name, just Mercer. This of course had caused her to realize something, remember an event form a few years ago, one that connected her to the silent fighter sitting next to her.  
Mercer shifted his eyes to look at the Schnee, observing how she fidgeted in place, her fingers grasping the hem of her skirt lightly. It was a nervous tick that Weiss would do whenever she was thinking of something, he had noticed a while back during one of their classes. It was... cute, of the heiress to do, as it went against her cold and bossy attitude.

But that was not something Mercer dwelled on, he was more interested in learning of what made her look anxious. Ever since meeting in the music shop, they had had a good day, fun, even. So what was causing her to take on her nervous habit? There was nothing around them that indicated a threat, he had already determined that the park was clear of any danger the moment he set foot upon the soil, there wasn't a negative soul in sight. The answer lied in her head, her thoughts.

"Weiss..." He began, drawing the young woman's gaze. "Is there something the matter? You're nervous..." He stated making the female look down at her hands in thought. How curious this behavior of hers was. Finally she looked up, uncertainty clear in her eyes as she took a soft breathe, preparing for something.

"I..." Weiss gulped lightly, finally looking Mercer in the eyes. "I know... who you are." She said firmly, not a waver in her voice or drop of doubt in her eyes like before. Mercer just listened quietly. "I did some searching, and I found that you're... you are the Viper. I knows because I found photo's of you in my families company records, and pay outs to someone with your name. Back when you were hired to guard my sister."

Mercer just stared at her, his face neutral as ever but his mind working. He remembered that job, it paid well. And he definitely remembered Weiss's sister, Winter. It had been one of his more interesting contracts. "On top of which, your skill level isn't anywhere near that of a Huntsmen-in-training." Weiss continued, turning he body slightly to talk to the merc more. "Your above it, beyond it! And the way you fight isn't like that of a traditionally trained one either, its more like a... Mercenary's, the kind that gets the job done no matter what." Weiss took another breath, her eyes still locked with Mercer's as she searched for something. "I know all of this, I know you are the Viper, but I want to hear it from you, tell me the truth Mercer... please."

Mercer was silent for a moment, sitting and observing Weiss with more interest then he had done before. Finally he closed his eyes, and Weiss could swear she so the briefest, tiniest of smiles appear on Mercer's lips before he opened his eyes and nodded.

"I am indeed the one people call the Viper." He confirmed as Weiss continued to stare at him intently. "I knew it would be only a matter of time before you figured it out Weiss... you are a very intelligent girl after all." Weiss blinked at the compliment, not expecting it at all. "But now that you know this... what will you do? Will you tell the others? Will you try and convince them I'm a _bad person_?" The merc questioned lightly, his voice still its usual with an undertone of curiosity.

"W-What?! No, I would never do that," she shrieked. "I just wanted everything to be out in the open with us." Weiss shifted her body to the side so nothing but her absolute attention was on Mercer. "I trust you Mercer... I don't want any secrets between us. And also... I want to apologize." Her head dropped solemnly with her last statement.

A obsidian black eyebrow rose at her words. "For what?"

Weiss looked back up at him with a sheepish smile. " I called the Viper a ticking time bomb in class awhile back..."

"Oh... well its OK, you weren't aware at the time."

She glanced down at his arms, knowing what those tattoos were truly made of. "Did it hurt?"

Seeing her gaze upon his arms, Mercer answered simply and truthfully. "More than you can imagine."

The Heiress finally relaxed and sat normally on the bench next to the merc, taking in all the families and joyous people around the spacious park. This is what they battled the Grimm to protect. Peace. To become warriors, and defeat the ever-encroaching darkness. "What's it like Mercer, to be the perfect warrior," her simple curiosity brought her ice blue eyes back over to the handsome man sitting next to her. "All the info the Schnee Dust Company has on you, as well as my sister's first hand testimonies she shared with me, describe you as one. A indomitable force of incredible skill unbridled power that rules the battlefield."

Mercer released a low, dry chuckle at Weiss's statement, taking the heiress by surprise. "The Perfect Warrior huh..." He looked up at the blue sky, it's reflection green on the surface of his eyes as Weiss stared at him "Perfect... is such a lie, Weiss."

"W-What do you mean?" The Schnee questioned, clearly not expecting such a thing from Mercer. How could he say perfection was a lie, when he himself was the perfect warrior?

Mercer shook his head. "Surly you see it, Weiss. Perfection is a lie, a false word, empty of any and all meaning." Mercer stated as he looked down at his hands. "To be perfect, is to be flawless, unbeatable, untouchable, to be beyond the best at everything and anything. A state of utter perfection is one of the few impossible things in this world... and I am far from being _perfect_." Mercer flickered his jade eyes to look at Weiss's icy blue ones, allowing the girl to see the emotions that ran through them.

"You say I am perfect, yet I have and can be beaten, be it in battle... or in a game of cards. I am not untouchable, as I have been hit, and I have many flaws." Mercer gave another soft chuckle. "If I were supposedly, I would not have had to do the things I've done in order to survive in this world... I would not have to kill, to fight, to sleep with one eye open at night... but, despite all that, even if it were possible to be perfect... I would rather live the life I have now."

Weiss listened intently, her shock still holding her form. She could only guess the life Mercer had lived as the Viper, and knew that it was not something anyone would have nightmares about living!

"I would rather have faults, to be beaten and die, then to be perfect... Why?" Mercer asked the question that was running through Weiss's mind, the female nodded mutely in response. "Because... it proves I'm alive." Mercer exhaled, letting out his inner most thoughts for the first time in a long time as he turned to Weiss, his body fully facing hers. "Every sorrow I have felt, every injury I have taken and defeat I have had, prove that I still live... like you." Weiss felt her back stiffen as Mercer reached his hand over and gently grasped hers and slowly pulled it up with his to the center of her chest, making her aware of her own heart beat. "If I were perfect... what would the point in living be? What more could I possibly ever want in life if I were the epitome of Perfection?"

Weiss looked down at her hand as it was held in Mercer's against her chest, his words making her think. "N-Nothing... there would be nothing..." Weiss spoke softly after a few moments, glancing back up at Mercer as he nodded.

"And if I had nothing left to live for... then there would be no point in living at all," Mercer stated, pleased he had finally gotten his point across and destroyed Weiss's notion that he was perfect. "That's why I would live my life a thousand times over, because it would always tell me that I was alive."

Truly, at this moment, Weiss Schnee was the first person in the world to truly understand Mercer Knight. Not the mercenary, not the fighter, not the Viper... but the man. A man who yes, had powers beyond comprehension, but was still Human deep down. At this rate, Weiss wondered how she couldn't...

A stunning smile crept up onto Weiss' elegant features. _"He really is something else..."_ her mind drifted to everything she knew about Mercer... and she realized there was one thing she didn't know about him. Part of her felt like she'd probed into his life enough, but the inner curiosity of hers won out again. "Say Mercer, I know your dad is Big Boss, the Legendary Soldier... but who's your mother?"

Who was his mother?

That question brought Mercer's whole being to a halt. His mother... the one he looked like, the one he admired above all, the woman who changed Remnant itself...

"You know Weiss..." Mercer stood up, getting the kinks out of his body from sitting. "You're the first person ever to ask who my mother is. Which is surprising, because I look a lot like her," the spear master then extended his arm and pointed with a long finger. "You'll find your answer there."

The Schnee girl followed his finer to... the park statue? She stood up, and walked towards the carved stone. The closer she got, the more Weiss could tell that this one single statue was so severely more detailed than any other she'd seen in the city, at Beacon, or even back home in Atlas! The heavily detailed statue was of a woman, a woman so unnaturally beautiful she seemed as though she was still alive. The woman's looks captivated Weiss, as if her ice blue eyes were gazing upon a Deity. Long wavy hair cascaded down the statue's back down to where the knees are as asymmetrical bangs framed her stunning face. A absolutely perfect hourglass figure was complimented by a regal, yet tasteful dress carved into the statue. And finally, within the right hand was a spear, resting at the statue's side while the left arm was extended towards the sky as if reaching out beyond the world. Once she finally come before the great statue, Weiss could see a plaque, and upon reading it, she discovered one of Mercer's most precious truths.

**We Dedicate This Statue In Honor And In Memory Of Remnant's Greatest Hero**

**She Who Single-Handedly Ended The Human-Faunus And Brought Peace To The Four Kingdoms**

**Our Goddess**

**The Queen Of The Stars**

**The Celestial Spear Of Fate**

**Heaven's Empress**

**Natasha F. Knight**

**May Your Spirit Forever Guide Us Out Of The Darkness**

**And Into the Eternal Light**

Knight...

Natasha Knight...

Weiss' head quickly spun around to look at Mercer, only to find he was standing a few feet behind her. Looking back and forth between the Viper and the statue of the Goddess she could see it, the same chin, identical cheekbones, matching eyebrows... there was no denying it.

Mercer was the son of the Strongest Human to ever exist, a woman considered by all to be a mortal deity. A woman so powerful she was able to make all four Kingdoms sign the peace treaty on Amity Island with simply a _**threat**_!

"Y-Y-Y-Your m-mother..." Weiss could barely form a coherent sentence at the moment, the truth of Mercer's mother being THE Natasha Knight was almost too much for even her to handle.

Mercer joined Weiss near the statue by standing at her side, his piercing green eyes never breaking from the carved stone. "Yes... this is her. The Mortal Goddess, Bringer of Peace, the woman who slew **ten-thousand** Grimm with a single attack... she's all these things and much more, but to me... she's simply..." at that moment, Weiss could hear the barely audible crack in the stoic voice of his. "... Mom."

The longing and melancholy gaze of his reminded Weiss that Mercer had said _both_ of his parents where dead. The Heiress was very young when the Queen of the Stars died, but she could remember how all four of the Kingdoms, and every single independent settlement, had mourned her passing. This single soul had done more in her life than any could have done since the beginning of time itself.

She was a Hero.

THE Hero.

And Mercer... was her Legacy.

Mercer was brought out of his inner thoughts when he felt a small hand entwine with his and a smaller mass press closely to him. Looking down, he found Weiss comforting him. The smell of her sweet shampoo invaded his nostrils as her small hand gripped his much larger one tightly. He smiled at that, this elegant little rich girl from Atlas was giving him comfort and courage. Him, the Viper, Remnant's greatest mercenary.

It was funny... other than his mother, Mercer never really believed in Heroes.

Though now he might have to rectify that...

Because he now had his own personal Hero, right here hand in hand with him.

**END**

** And after nearly a year in the making... Viper's Glare has returned. And just in time for the start of RWBY Volume 3.**

** First and foremost, thank you to all of you who have stuck through with me for so long, I can guess putting up with my to do anything at all as well as the endless support you gave me at my lowest point. And even more thanks to the handful of people who helped me in getting through this chapter itself. There were a lot of bumps in the road and complete idea changes, and those who helped me mold out this final product... I'm grateful from the bottom of my heart.**

** Now I'll briefly go through things in this chapter because I am VERY tired right now and want to get some rest**

** First, the OC Radec siblings. They were provided by 37. They had a quick introduction in this chapter and will now transition into the minor character category for now. They will later play a major role but for a little while they will one make a cameo from time to time. They are a colorful little group, I'm sure you'll see some fun things involving them in the future.**

** Next up is what dominated this entire chapter basically; Mercer, Weiss, and their bond. Now I can't right out declare their pairng right now (that'll be next chapter) but you can see that Weiss shares the closest bond with Mercer out of ANYONE. A reviewer actually pointed out they have a ton in common and it's true, they really do. This MercerxWeiss pairing, which is known as BlackFrost, is probably the biggest threat to all other parings for two reasons. One, Mercer and Weiss are kindred spirits and share a deep bond unlike any other's. And two, out of all the possible parings I've created, this one is the romance I PERSONALLY SUPPORT. So all you supporters of BloodRose, Venom, TaintedFire, DarkMagic, and TwistedEmbers will have to work hard as hell in the voting later on, because me and my BlackFrost brothers and sisters will unite with a unbreakable determination to win this shipping war!**

** OK... fanboy moment is over now.**

** And finally... the full reveal of Mercer's mother, Natasha Knight. Sadly you all will have to wait some time before I post the Bio page on her, that's because it contains major spoilers. But for now you have more info on her than ever before. And I promise you this, and I stand by this bold statement completely, Natasha is THE MOST POWERFUL RWBY OC ever created. Don't believe me? Let me refer to something said back in the chapter;**

** She killed TEN THOUSAND Grimm with a single attack.**

** Ten Thousand!**

** One other thing regarding the Queen of the Stars. This is not the only story you will see her in. My good friend and fellow author **RandomKitsune **is writing this little miniseres/collaboration/AU fic that Natasha as one of the two main characters. In this fic you'll be able to see Natasha actually fight as well as her colorful personality. So please read it when he post it, I know he has worked very hard in getting it started. Any of you who are already fans of his have been teased about Natasha in his own fic, RWBY: Danzetsu, you'll know what I'm talking about. And if any of you haven't read one of his stories, start bloody doing it now. **RandomKitsune **is a fucking masterful writer and all his stories deserved to be read, so do it!**

** Okay then, last thing, and its a call for help. The next Viper's Glare is going to be covering the Dance (all the romance building!) and I could use all your help. I want to give the members of RWBY and Goodwitch more personal and unique dresses and hairstyle changes to fit them better. Problem is... I don't know anything about fashion. If you happen to know a lot about the subject, please send me some suggestions. The only one that doesn't need one is Yang, somehow I figured her out myself.**

** And that's all I have for you all this time. Please, PLEASE be sure to review, comment, and PM, because I want feedback on this.**

** One last thing... I'm happy to be back and give you all something to enjoy.**


	29. Notice

**RWBY: Viper's Glare**

**IMPORTANT NOTICE!**

** OK... there was I time I dreaded having to make this notice. But now I absolutely need to.**

** Viper's Glare is now ending... but it is being rewritten from the ground up.**

** This right here was why I went silent for so long. I tried everything to make the plot work, but I have driven myself into a hole I can not get out of.**

** I've looked back at everything I've written up to this point... and I don't like it.**

** In fact I hate it.**

** The interactions a poor attempts at writing and romances where shallow and pathetic.**

** All the action was lackluster and could surely be done better.**

** And all the OCs and crossovers... those just truly drove the nails into the coffin. I couldn't work with any of it in the long run.**

** But I truly think what finally killed this story was the review posted by someone of the name **ThatOneFanficReviewer**, who's "review' (a term I use _very_ loosely) was little more than a advanced and detailed attack on my writing. **

** Apparently I'm guilty of not making a "perfect fanfic" on my very first time when this is just a HOBBY to my. This part is my words, not his/hers.**

** But I will give the prick credit, they picked out very valid problems that will be fixed in the rewrite. But how it was delivered in the form of straight bashing... that could've been handled better.**

** That's all I'll say on the subject. I'll be the bigger person an just let it all go.**

** Now on to things you can expect in the rewrite, I won't say much other than I few things:**

** It'll be a harem first off. Why? Because I want to, and this way none of you readers will be disappointed in the long run. You'll see who they are in time, but its mostly the same as the romance options that were in this story.**

** Other than that... It's all completely new! **

** Now onto the biggest question you all want to know... when is it getting released.**

** A big question indeed, one I must first answer by addressing something important. This. Is. A. Hobby. I cannot spend every waking moment on this site writing. I wish I could, but I have a job, a life, and bills to pay. Please... just understand that my updates will mostly take time. That's all I ask, to take into consideration what happens to me off this site.**

** Now... as for how long until the rewrite is upload...**

** You don't have to wait all all!**

** Because it's getting uploaded right after this.**

** Just look for the story **RWBY: Heart of the Storm**,** **or just go to my writer's page.**

** Now I will NOT be taking down this story at all. Oh no... it stays. I may not like how it turned out, but I carry some pride in that this fic became as popular as it did.**

** And if you don't wish to carry on into the rewrite, that's fine. I will not blame anyone who chooses to give up on my writing. It's your opinion and choice, and I will respect that.**

** But now... onto the rewrite! And hopefully it'll be better and more popular than even Viper's Glare was.**

** So goodbye to you all and I hope to see you in **RWBY: Heart of the Storm**! **


End file.
